The Teenaged Wizard's Guide to the Forces of Evil
by pymgypuffpotterhead
Summary: Mary, who is basically the Fillipino Lily Evans, Amara - the quiet yet cool one of the group, Rachel - the prankster, Liza, the Ukrainian version of Luna Lovegood, and Sophie, the lively artist of the group are American (or hyphenated American) transfers. Follow the adventures of the 5 muggleborn girls in the next generation of Hogwarts as they join the friends of James Potter II.
1. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS AND AUTHOR INFO

**Warning:** We have purposely changed the age of some the characters to fit our plot.

 **Disclaimer:** All characters belong to J.K Rowling, except for the following characters (that means we own the following characters):

Mary

Liza

Rachel

Sophie

Amara

Asterion

The people from Quidditch

Dorm room peoples

The following characters are actual people:

Mary

Liza

Rachel

Sophie

Amara

Co Authors (tumblr):

Pablothemagicalunicorn (me) - Liza

froggkid- Amara

pygmypufflehuff - Mary

lethargicgrimalkin- Sophie

The people listed above are the co-authors of the story, so I'm only **partially** responsible if it doesn't get updated for long periods of time. Btw, I'm the one called Liza.


	2. IMPORTANT INFO ON THE CHARACTERS

**Pickup lines:**

· **If you were a dementor, I'd become a criminal just to get your kiss.**

· **Did you use the** ** _stupify_** **charm or are you a natural stunner?**

· **You must be in Flitwick's class because you are so CHARMING.**

· **Did you survive** ** _Avada Kedavra_** **? 'Cause you're drop dead gorgeous.**

· **When I look at you, it's like someone just cast a jelly legs jinx on me.**

· **Your so hot, even** ** _aguamenti_** **wouldn't work on you.**

· **I don't need a Cheering Charm, I only need to be right next to you.**

· **You don't need** ** _alohomora_** **to unlock my heart**

 **Schedules:**

 **Classes: Potions, Transfiguration, DADA, Charms, Astronomy, History of Magic.**

 **Electives: Advanced Herbology; Muggle and Magical Art; Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, Divination**

 **2-3 classes. Anything more than three- time turner**

 **A day B day skedge**

 **Breakfast- 8 - 9;**

 **1st- 9:05 - 10:05;**

 **2nd- 10:10 - 11:10**

 **Lunch- 11:15-12:15;**

 **3rd- 12:20-1:20;**

 **4th- 1:25-2:25;**

 **Study Hall(can be in common rooms or library)- 2:30-6;**

 **Dinner- 6:05 - 7:05;**

 **Curfew- 9:30**

 **Quidditch- games, tryouts, and practice during study hall 2:30 - 3:55**

 **GRYFFINDOR AND SLYTHERIN TRYOUTS- Friday**

 **RAVENCLAW AND HUFFLEPUFF TRYOUTS- Thursday**

 **Game Announcer- Mary**

 **Referee- Madam Hooch**

 **"** **Art" club - 4 - 5:15**

 **Mary- A-Day: Charms; Astronomy; Time Turn: Advanced Herbology, Ancient Runes; History of Magic**

 **B-Day: Transfiguration; DADA; Time Turn: CoM, Arithmancy; Potions**

 **Amara- A-Day: Potions; Astronomy; Advanced Herbology; History of Magic**

 **B-Day: DADA; Transfiguration; Time Turn: CoM, Art; Charms**

 **Sophjie- A-Day: DADA; Astronomy; Ancient Runes; History of Magic**

 **B-Day: Transfiguration; Potions; Time Turn: CoM, Art; Charms**

 **Rachel- A-Day: Potions; Astronomy, Advanced Herbology, History of Magic**

 **B-Day: Transfiguration; DADA; CoM; Charms**

 **Fred- A-Day: DADA; History of Magic; Muggle Studies; Potions**

 **B-Day: Charms; Transfiguration; CoM; Astronomy**

 **Liza- A-Day: Charms; Potions; Advanced Herbology; History of Magic**

 **B-Day: Astronomy; DADA; CoM; Transfiguration**

 **James- A-Day: DADA; History of Magic; Muggle Studies; Charms**

 **B-Day: Potions; Transfiguration; CoM; Astronomy**

 **Asterion- A-Day: DADA; Charms; Muggle Studies; History of Magic**

 **B-Day: Potions; Transfiguration; CoM; Astronomy**

 **Frank- A-Day: Astronomy; DADA; Advanced Herbology; Potions**

 **B-Day: Charms; Transfiguration; CoM; History of Magic**

 **Lysander- A-Day: Astronomy; History of Magic; Advanced Herbology; DADA**

 **B-Day: Charms; Transfiguration; CoM; Potions**

 **Lorcan- A-Day: Astronomy; DADA; Time-Turn: Advanced Herbology, Ancient Runes, ; History of Magic**

 **B-Day: Charms; Transfiguration; CoM; Potions**

 **Relations:**

 **Harry and Ginny:**

 **James- 4th year- Gryffindor**

 **Albus- 2nd year- Gryffindor**

 **Lily- Not yet Hogwarts age. She's 10**

 **Ron and Hermione:**

 **Rose- 2nd year- Gryffindor**

 **Hugo- Same as Lily**

 **George and Angelina:**

 **Fred- 4th year- Gryffindor**

 **Roxanne- 3rd year- Gryffindor**

 **Bill and Fleur:**

 **Victoire- 6th year- Ravenclaw**

 **Dominique- 4th year- Hufflepuff**

 **Louis- 3rd year- Slytherin**

 **Percy and Audrey:**

 **Molly- 3rd year- Gryffindor**

 **Lucy- 1st year - Gryffindor**

 **Remus and Nymphadora:**

 **Teddy- 7th year- Hufflepuff**

 **Neville and Hannah:**

 **Frank- 4th year- Gryffindor**

 **Alice- 4th year- Hufflepuff**

 **Luna and Rolf:**

 **Lorcan- 4th year- Ravenclaw**

 **Lysander- 4th year- Ravenclaw**

 **Draco and Astoria:**

 **Asterion- 4th year- Slytherin**

 **Scorpius- 2nd year- Gryffindor**

 **Animagi:**

 **Amara: crow**

 **Sophie: Cat**

 **Rachel: Hare/Bunny**

 **Mary: Badger**

 **Liza: Owl**

 **Fred: Fox**

 **James: That big dog**

 **Asterion: Komodo Dragon**

 **Lorcan:**

 **Lysander:**

 **Flaws:**

· **Lorcan: plans A LOT, if things don't go according to plan he is really hard on himself**

· **Lysander: still thinks before he acts, but thinks that planning too much is boring, but isn't very emotionally preceptive**

· **Asterion: hides behind his shades, gets extremely nervous without them**

· **James: arrogant prat with a cocky attitude**

 **Amortentia smell:**

 **Mary: cinnamon, coffee, chocolate, dirt after rain, freshly-mown grass, flowery shampoo, books, quill ink, green tea, and clean clothes**

 **Sophie: forests in winter, mint, juniper, chlorine water, freshly washed sheets/hair, saltwater, freshly brewed tea, and dog smell**

 **Amara: rain, fabric softener, chamomile tea, and soap**

 **Rachel: chocolate, lavender, roses,(flowers), cool water (perfume), White diamond (also perfume) tea black and green. nature in general.**

 **Liza: rain, fire, tea, plants after you water them, honeysuckle, fresh paper, paint, dirt, the sea**

 **James: flowery shampoo, quill ink, his mum's gingerbread loaves, the Quidditch pitch, broom cleaning stuff, cinnamon, grass,**

 **Asterion: juniper, saltwater, the flowers his mum plants at Malfoy manor, Earl Grey tea,**

 **Fred: prank supplies,**

 **Frank: lavender,**

 **Lysander: the forest, Butterbeer corks,**

 **Lorcan: old books, freshly mown grass, the forest after it rained, owl feathers, something flowery (Alice** **'** **s hair),**


	3. It All Began With Some Owls

Mary, Amara, Sophie, Liza and Rachel were in Mary's bedroom laughing and talking about nothing important in particular. It was summer vacation and the girls were constantly visiting each other's houses every weekend, having nothing else to do, except become anti-social, which their parents wouldn't allowed.

"Our lives are so stupid and boring," Mary said, praying for something interesting to happen. Summer was going to end soon and she didn't like the idea of that, she wished she could stop time forever, making sure that september never happened. She was going to miss the endless days of doing nothing and hanging out with her friends every weekend.

Mary was on her laptop reading a webcomic, at her friend's recommendation. She had gotten to Act 3 so far, though her friend's were almost caught up. Amara was drawing in her sketchbook, Sophie was drawing a Boredom Stone on a random piece of paper she had found, and Rachel and Liza were playing with some silly putty from Rachel's pocket.

The window was open as it was very hot that day. Mary loved it, hot weather was her weather.

Suddenly, five owls came in carrying letters. There were two snowy owls, a gray one that reminded the girls of Gandalf, a barn owl and one tawny owl. You usually didn't find owls in that area, plus it was also summer, not the kind of weather you'd find a snowy owl in and it was to early in the day from any owl anyways.

"Why are there owls in my house?!" Mary shrieked in surprise as the snowy owl dropped a letter on her lap, the paper landing with a soft plopping sound.

"This is crazy!" Sophie exclaimed as the Gandalf owl dropped a letter on her head. She started bouncing with a crazy smile on her face, despite the strangeness of the current events. Sophie looked at the Gandalf-look-a-like owl in awe.

"I bet someone's pranking us," Amara said, looking up from her sketchbook to gaze at her letter warily, and then glanced around the room for any hidden cameras. She knew it was quite unlikely that this was a prank, though, because they didn't even know any pranking geniuses, let alone anyone who could properly handle owls.

"I don't think you can train owls to deliver messages." Rachel said, petting the barn owl that had given the letter to her. Rachel thought owls were very interesting, but she still felt that something was fishy.

"Isn't it obvious?" Liza asked in awe. "They're Hogwarts letters! Look at the seal and the Owl Post, be smack dab in the middle!"

"Holy Jellybean." Sophie said, gasping. She hurriedly opened the letter to find that Liza was correct. "Guys, look! It has a materials list and a signature from Professor Longbottom. Wait, I thought it would be from McGonagall. I mean no offence to him or anything but..."

"Well," Mary said beginning to rip the envelope open. "McGonagall became the Headmistress so she probably would've needed a new Deputy Headmaster. Neville became a professor when he finished his last year at Hogwarts. It makes sense." Mary had just finished ripping up the envelope, throwing the pieces in the air like confetti.

Liza was jumping up and down on the bed, her short caramel hair bouncing. "We're witches! We're witches. We're witches! WE'RE WITCHES!"

Amara was carefully opening her envelope, much to everyone else's discontent. "I think it's legit."

"This is awesome!" Rachel said, all five owls resting on her arm, weighing it down slightly, but she didn't mind. She had opened her letter already and determined that it was legitimate.

"I didn't think Americans could go to Hogwarts, though," Amara mused, carefully examining her letter. "Oh, nevermind, It says here that we are American Muggle-born Transfers. Didn't know that was a thing."

"What does that mean?" Sophie asked, tilting her head.

"It's a program Mrs. Hermione Granger-Weasley, the Head of the Magical Law Department, created because American Muggle-borns never get an education. Most American wizards and witches are

homeschooled and there isn't a very large population and they're all scattered." Amara said, reading from the letter. "It's hard to find muggle-borns so most are in their 3rd-4th year when they're found. Pretty self-explanatory though."

"That makes sense," Mary said, nodding her head.

"asdfghjkl!" Sophie said, twirling around the room with an owl on her head. She probably put it there herself.

"She's crazy, how do you even pronounce that?," Rachel commented, looking at Sophie and shaking her head so that her golden blonde hair covered her face. One owl was missing from her arm, and had found solace on Amara's shoulder.

"Hi girls," Mary's mom said coming into the room. She noticed the owls and adjusted her new glasses. "Um, where did you get the owls? And why are they in our house. Mary I swear you'll hav-"

"Mommy!" Mary said, cutting of her mom and handing her the letter she had received, as the other girls held up their own. "We've got Hogwarts letters!"

Her mom read the letter very carefully. The look on her face was similar to Amara's when she was reading the letters. But she definitely thought it was real, because she knew that if it was a scam, it wouldn't be and warm to the touch, even though the AC was cranked high. She stopped halfway, through, her eyes growing wide.

"Ah, yes. But the Hogwarts train leaves in two days. How are you going to get there? I'm not paying for a trip to London, and I'm sure your friends' parents won't be doing so."

She kept reading. "Oh, I stand corrected! Get your bags packed tonight girls. The International Knight Bus will be picking you up at 8:30 AM at your respective houses."

The girls cheered, giving each other high fives while Mary crushed her mom in a hug.

When Amara's mom came to pick her up, Amara flew down the stairs to her to show off her Hogwarts letter.

"Wow, you actually got letters! I mean I knew that you were a witch, but I decided to tell you when i could find another one to teach you,. But now I don't have to worry, I know you're in good hands." Amara's mom said. She had read the Harry Potter series and was quite glad for her daughter. A hurt expression flashed on Amara's face when she heard her mother say that she already knew, and didn't tell her, but then understanding. It's not like her mother knew any magic folk, what was she to do? Her mother continued to talk, giving her daughter an affectionate pap on the head, which Amara tried to dodge, but failed. "So Hermione is working for the Ministry now, eh? "

Amara nodded. "Maybe Maya and Amia are witches too." Her younger sister Maya, who was turning 12, might get her Hogwarts letter soon, if she qualified for one, of course.

"Maybe Ellie will get her Hogwarts letter," Sophie said. Her sister was turning 11 this year. She might get her Hogwarts letter too. " Though I hope she doesn't. I'll enjoy the time away from her."

She and Mary gave Amara boa-constrictor-like a hug before she had to go. "See you tomorrow Mara."

"Bye Soph, Bye Mary," Amara said, returning the hug just this once, but not with much enthusiasm. "Alright, you can stop now."

When Sophie's mom came, Sophie showed her the letter, though her mother had to calm her down before she could take a look at.

"Awesome!" She gave her daughter a high-five, "thought about this before I had you, and I know it's a good school, and Mr. No-nose is gone so, you should be safe," Sophie's mom had said. "Maybe Ellie will get one too!"

"Ugh," Sophie said "I hope she doesn't."

Sophie ruffled Mary's medium-length dyed bright red hair in goodbye. "Bye Murry-chan."

Rachel's mom had come to pick up both Rachel and Liza. "Wow, witches? Well, Rachel's allowed to go, no questions asked, I can't deal with an unschooled witch! Liza, we'll need to phone call your Mom so she knows, but I'll talk to her about it."

Liza nodded. "Sure. I hope she understands that I have no choice but to go"

"I'm sure she'll understand!" Mary reach up to pat her friends shoulder.

Rachel and Liza gave Mary a hug before saying goodbye. "See yah, Mary," Rachel said. "Bye, frond-person," Liza said.

"Bye Rach, Liza." Mary said. She couldn't believe it was over so soon. She also couldn't believe that she was leaving for Britain tomorrow.

She headed back to her room to reread her Hogwarts letter again, and then, maybe, a third time.

Mary woke up the next morning with a big smile plastered on her face. The smell of pancakes cooking for breakfast had wafted into her room, waking her from her long slumber.

"Mmm," Mary said, sniffing the air. "Pancakesss." She couldn't wait for the Knight Bus to Come, but she also couldn't wait for those heavenly fried circles to make their way into her mouth.

All her bags had been packed the last night. She had one bag filled to the brim with just her books, another for necessities, two bulging with extra clothing,(more bags of outfits would be sent to the school after she arrived) and a mostly empty one for robes and school supplies. The letter had said she could bring an MP3 Player or a Walkman for music, so had Mary packed her old MP3 player, and she was disappointed that it didn't have a touch screen or internet access, but it was a small sacrifice for where she was going.

She slipped on her fuzzy slippers on and clambered down the stairs to eat her breakfast.

"Are you excited for Hogwarts?" Her father asked, sipping at his coffee.

Mary nodded, grinning as she sunk her teeth into the syrupy goodness. "Of course! I can't wait," She replied after swallowing

"Make sure you write letters every week, okay? They have an international Owl Post, now." Mary's mom was making sure she didn't lose contact with only her daughter, and though Mary understood that, she still felt a bit suffocated.

"And no boys!" Her dad piped.

Mary nodded and rolled her eyes. She seemed to be nodding a lot these days. "Yes, mother and sure dad, if you say so."

Mary finished her pancakes in silence as her parents chatted. When she finished, she bounded up the upstairs to get ready.

She brushed her medium-length dyed red hair a bit more than she needed to, so her scalp stung, and she slipped on a red shorts and converse. Then she switched the shorts two times, deciding that they weren't wizard-worthy. She cleaned her red glasses that made her look like a hipster but were an absolute necessity as she was legally blind without them, so she had to suffer through it.

She sat down on the front steps with her bags waiting for the Knight Bus to come, the sun warming her face while a refreshing breeze bristled through her hair. After a while or waiting, a deep purple bus pulled up on the side of the street,golden words reading, "international Knight Bus" on both sides in the middle of a white speech bubble whose tail was growing from a cartoon knights grinning mouth.

"Nice Pun," Mary thought, smirking.

She gave her parents a not-long enough goodbye-hug and lept down the steps leading to thesidewalk to greet her friends on the bus. With a backpack full of books on her shoulders and two heavy suitcases in her hands, Mary clambered onto the bus and looked for her friends.

On the top deck of the bus, there were three beds occupied by Sophie, Amara, and Liza. Two empty beds were covered in bags but seemed to have no owner.

"Hey guys!" Mary said, making her way to them, trying to run, but her bags weighed her down.

"Murry!" Sophie said, jumping of the bed to hug her friend. "We saved you a spot!" Liza started taking the bags off of the bed to make room for Mary's bags, while Amara started to tug away Mary's bags to give her some relief.

Amara was in quite a good mood today, which wasn't very often so she thought it was okay to hug her friends for one second, just this once. She realized she had made a mistake when Mary had latched on and wouldn't let go, squeezing the life out of her.

After Liza had lazily cleared the bed, went back to her bed to sleep. Sophie had joined Mary in hugging poor Amara to death. Sophie was actually in a better mood than she usually would be in the morning, she was definitely not a morning person. Her hair wasn't a big mess and she was actually feeling quite elated and peppy. She usually was a zombie in the mornings.

"Can't-br-breathe," Amara choked out. She wasn't going to voluntarily hug for quite a long time now, that would be her friend's punishments.

"Sorry," Mary and Sophie said in unison releasing the girl. Amara felt sick, she had almost been hugged to near death and the Knight Bus was moving at breakneck speed. She didn't understand why Liza was choosing to read at the moment but then she realized the poor girl was asleep. She stumbled over and took the book out of her hands, tucking it into her friend's suit case. She sighed in her sleep.

Their next stop was Rachel's house and after another minute, the golden-haired girl was sitting in the bed next to them with an excited smile plastered on her face.

The Knight Bus had traveled over the Atlantic Ocean for two hours before arriving at the Leaky Cauldron. The girls awoke with a jolt as they fell asleep during the ride.

"LONDON!" Mary said. She loved this city and she had always wanted to live here, her dream was coming true. "HELL YES!"

"WOOHOO BABY! Britain better prepare, People! Hide your wives, your husbands, your children, and while you're at it, everyone else! Sophie has arrived," Sophie said, strutting down the pavement. She really did think she was the center of the universe, she was a cat-person after all.

"Would you shut your protein-chutes for a second? My poor ears can't take it." Amara complained.

Sophie and Mary blew raspberries at her.

They all grabbed their bags and headed for the Leaky Cauldron. Then they got settled in their rooms before heading out to Diagon Alley.

"Which brick do we press?" Amara asked, closely inspecting at the brick wall.

"This one," Mary said pressing a brick "I think. 3rd on the left from the trash can."

"Woah," all of the girls said as the brick archway to Diagon Alley opened.

They had collected all of their supplies. All of them went bit overboard with buying textbooks as Mary and Amara wanted some "light" reading. Mary, of course, had grabbed books on practically anything she thought interesting. She couldn't wait for Hogwarts as she would do everything to get into the restricted section of the library. Amara bought a book on ghosts and how to speak Mermish and Gobbledegook, but Mary had no idea how useful they would be, and vocalized her concern. Amara just winked, knowing that she would need it in the lake. Plus, learning a new language gives her something to do. Liza, on the other hand, got about two bagfuls of books about magical creatures that most people might call "imaginary" or "not real", most of the books being copies of the Quibbler magazine.

They had also paid their wands which they stared at in awe. But what made them more elated than the wands were their new pets.

Mary had gotten a very adorable yellow Puffskein that kept humming the William Tell Overture. She named it Willy Wonka, after the famous muggle book character. Sophie, of course, adopted a pet cat that she named Jade, after her favorite character from the webcomic she was reading.

Amara took to an oddly patterned grey Lizard-rabbit hybrid that Mary and Sophie forced her to name Gandalf The Grey. Rachel, and Liza got owls. Rachel had a super cool looking snowy one that she named Pepper and Liza cooed at tawny owl she named Hazel, after a character from one of her favorite book series, which was perched on her arm.

The girls hung out at Flourish and Blotts which now had a sitting area and café, for relaxing. Mary had her new Puffskein on her shoulder who constantly preened its nose through her hair, humming snipits of classical themes,.

Sophie was talking to her cat like it could actually talk back.

"Why are you talking to the cat?" Mary asked.

"You can't hear it ?" Sophie replied, staring at the cat uneasily. "It's been going on and on about familiars or whatever a-,"

Mary's eye grew very wide.

Sophie looked at her friend, not finishing her previous sentence. "What?"

She took out a book she had grabbed on Powerful and Rare Occurrences In The Wizarding World.

Mary began reading out a page. "On a very rare occasion, there are a few witches and wizards capable of creating a bond with an animal. This is called a familiar. A familiar is usually a cat or an owl but a few wizards have been known to create bonds with rarer animals. Albus Dumbledore is one person known for his bond with a phoenix. Once they have gained a familiar, the witch/wizard can communicate with their familiar and in rarer cases, be able to speak to other animals of their familiar's species."

"Oh, well, that's cool! I thought that I was going crazy." Sophie said "Soon I will rule all of the cats!"

Jade hissed at that notion. "Okay we can both rule the cats, how about that Jadey?" Sophie offered to her cat. "Jade grinned so wide that the cheshire cat would weep tears of pride," Liza thought.

"Wait that's rare?" Amara mused, tapping her chin and looking at the sky. "You don't even know how loud it was in that pet store, and animals say such vulgar things, my poor ears have never been less innocent before today. And plants are even worse, the words they've picked up from us would kill a little old southern lady in one small breath," After a moment, she put a finger to the lips of Gandalf, and looked at him pointedly.

"When did that happen? You never told us!" Liza said with wide eyes.

"So now we have witch with a familiar, and one who can talk to animals and plants, what's next?" Mary dramatically placed the back of her hand on her brow and leaned back in her chair.

"Gandalf says that you don't know the half of it."

It was almost time for bed. Sophie and Amara were chatting idly, Liza and Rachel were creating a pillow fort, and Mary was with her Puffskein eating candy.

"I'm most definitely a Slytherin," Sophie said. All those Sorting Hat quizzes seemed to want to put her in Slytherin, but of course, we could never be sure.

"I know I'm a Ravenclaw," Amara said. "I'm definitely a Ravenclaw. Well, I think so, it makes sense… Well, I could be slytherin too," Amara hadn't ever gotten a house that wasn't Ravenclaw, but she couldn't help thinking of slytherin also.

Meanwhile, Rachel and Liza were still building their fort.

"I am totally a Ravenclaw." Liza declared.

"Wingardium Leviosa," Liza said and repeated a couple times, trying to get it right, waving her wand so that the pillow would float to the top. It gave a little wobble and then a hop, but didn't do what Liza wanted. Mary would have giggled, but she and her Puffskein were doing the chubby bunny challenge, and she would lose if she did.

"Cherbeh Berney," Mary said, her mouth filled with marshmallows.

Willy Wonka the Puffskein chirped. "Chirpy Chirpy."

"Mhmnhmm," Mary couldn't take it anymore. She swallowed all of the 6 marshmallows, at once.

"Ewww Mary," Amara commented from across the room.

Willy gloated as he stuffed another marshmallow into his mouth.

"You greedy bum!" Mary said. "I was gonna take that."

The Puffskein swallowed and gave a satisfied chirp. Amara giggled behind her hand, and Sophie was rolling on the floor with mirth. Mary glared at her friends, but it only made the laughter worse.

The girls woke up bright and early the next morning, packed up their wands,and headed to ollivander's. He had promised to to teach the basics of wizardry, as long as they came before he opened shop. Amara rapped on the door lightly, and the old man appeared in the door window moments later.

"Come in, come in, girls!" The tall man said, opening the door wide to accommodate the party. This was their last 'class', seeing as they had to leave next morning. They had already had a week of this, and had picked up fast, much to the old man's delight.

"Hi !" Mary, said hugging the man.

"Hello to you to Mary, to all of you!" He laughed. "So today we're are going to have a test." The girls' eyes widened. "No, no, don't worry children, it's just a review."

The girls let out a sigh of relief. Ollivander clapped his hands, "Let's get on with it!" The girls cheered in response.

All day they reviewed, first came the spells.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Amara said, softly but firmly. The pillow rose from its previous place on the table. Then she dropped the pillow, but before it could land, shouted "imobulus!" stopping the pillow in mid-air.

The others received the same result, offering and talking high-fives to each other. All of the spells in The Standard Book of Spells: Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 had officially been covered and mastered by the girls, the Levitation and Freezing charms being the one they had most trouble with.

Then the potions had to be made, and they had a few mishaps, one involving the ends of Rachel's hair being singed off, but we're able progress to a third year level of potion-making yesterday, so they were handed a large potions book, and were told to make any potion that they liked, "within reason of course," Ollivander had warned.

They were only able to get through half way through A beginner's guide to Transfiguration, but Ollivander wasn't worried for them, they would be taking extra classes to catch up, and at least they knew the basics.

As they got ready to leave for the Leaky cauldron a few hours after closing, Olivander pressed Third year Herbology books into the girls' arms, having already read the first and second year ones.

"You lot, better study up on the train ride!" He said to them, proudly.

"We will!" They chorused happily, but a bit worn out.

They walked down the cobble-stone pavement back to the pub, the august sunset pleasantly warming them. They had smiles on their faces, and feelings of accomplishment.

Sophie fell face first into her bed declaring, "I'm going to go sleep for about 12 years, see you when I'm like, 30."

"More like 26, Soph." Amara chimed, getting ready for bed herself.

"Whatever." Everyone sans Amara chorused.


	4. The Hogwarts Express

Amara woke up earlier than most of her friends. She stretched and let out a relaxed sigh. She fiddled with her half-brown half-teal hair swept it into two medium-sized buns atop her head. Slipping on her ever-present, mirror-shaded glasses, she looked across the room and was surprised to find Mary curled up on a floating chair reading. Her hair was looked a wet and occasionally dripped into the cushions of the chair - she must've taken a shower. She had an empty drink by her side and Willy Wonka was dozing on the top of her head, the fluffy ball rising and falling, occasionally blowing a hair with its sleeping breath.

"I didn't think you'd be awake yet," Amara said, rubbing her eyes. "You usually sleep for like, a year or two."

Mary looked up from her book. She had hastily grabbed and it from the shelves of Flourish and Blott's at Diagon Alley. The title read: Spells and Potions Any Fashion Forward Witch Should Know, of course Mary picked it. "Morning Mara. I couldn't stay asleep anymore. Too excited." She yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth. She noticed that Amara was wearing her shades, and not the normal glasses she wore around her friends. But she had expected that.

"Whatcha reading?" Amara said, staring at the book knowing very well this seems like something Mary would read, and already having read the title.

"There's spell in here that can transfigure your clothes and another that can put together an article of clothing for you as long as you have the fabric ready."

"Cool beans. Did 'ya try any of them yet? " she was intrigued.

"I will when we need to start getting ready. If all I have to do is magic my clothes on then there is no need to go change in the bathroom. It's nice to avoid bathroom fights."

"I think we have to start getting ready soon," Amara said, staring at the clock on the wall across from them.

Mary nodded. "We should wake up our friends." Mary turned her head to the side with her friend's beds and cupped her hands around her mouth. "WAKE UP YA LAZY BUMS!"

Sophie turned in her sleep. "Whyyyyyyyyyy?" She said, covering her head with a pillow. Rachel shot straight up, her blonde hair a messy halo around her face. "Morning." Liza yawned. "I'm up, mom."

"Sophie, shut your protein-chute and get your lazy bum up. Rachel, morning. Liza, I'm not your friggin mum," Amara said.

The three girls all yawned in harmony and got up, moving like slugs across a hot pavement.

"Why do we have to get up so early?" Sophie said.

"It's almost 10:30," Mary said. "The train's going to leave at 11. I'd recommend that you hurry up and get ready so we're not late."

"We don't even get breakfast?" Liza asked, yawning.

"I took care of that," Mary said. "I woke up at around 5 am and got some English Muffins with jam from downstairs and some Butterbeer Lattes." Mary jabbed her thumb in the direction of the table with the food.

"YUS!" Sophie said, making her way to the table. "FOOD!" Her cat, Jade, followed and snuggled into Sophie's lap as she drank the Butterbeer coffee, which wasn't as bad as it sounds.

"Ooh," Liza said, tasting the latte. "These are AMA-ZINGGGG!" She sang, with jazz hands, bouncing up and down, of course, she put her drink down first.

"I agree," Rachel said, nodding, with a grin plastered on her face.

Amara sipped hers silently and started reading her book on how to speak Mermish.

Mary had already finished her drink some time ago so she tried to magic on a beanie. It took a while but she finally got it, well, half of it

"Oh, so that's the spell," Amara said while the other girls looked at Mary in awe. "I mean, it's not really a spell. You didn't say anything."

"All you have to do is think about the clothes and wave your wand. It's a little more complicated when you don't own the clothes. It's still hard though" Mary explained as she attempted once more. The whole beanie came this time. It read: You can't sit with us.

She huffed and headed for the bathroom coming out in black shorts, her favorite denim jacket, a Paramore t-shirt, and a pair of black leather ballet slippers. No one understood why she had a pair of ballet slippers, because they all knew that she sucked at that type of thing.

"Why do you have ballet slippers?" Amara asked, staring at Mary's feet.

"They're comfy. I got them on sale at Target," Mary tied the ribbons around her legs.

Sophie decided to do it the old fashioned way and enter the bathroom, and when she came out, was sporting her Sherlock T-shirt, combat boots, and jeans. Amara dressed in herself black hoodie with big, over-sized grey sleeves and black jeans, nothing that she wouldn't wear at any other time. Rachel put on a black sweater with gold trim and a gold bowtie and black jeans, the gold looked too real, and Mary suspected that magic had come into play. Liza, who seemed quite excited to use this spell and was just lazy, magic-ed on an oversized Harry Potter sweater and black skinny jeans, after many tries. After she was done with that, she seemed to give up on conjuring any more clothes up, so she just pulled out some Harry Potter themed sneakers and put them on.

"Don't you think that will creep people out, Liza? Especially his children." Amara commented warily.

Liza grinned. "Too bad for them!" Liza said, pulling her arms out of the sleeves in the giant sweater to playfully hit Amara on the arm with the the now floppy and armless sleeves.

Ignoring Liza's antics, Amara went back to reading her book.

Suddenly, Liza put her arms back into her sleeves and ran out of the room. A few moments later, she returned, now with a butterbeer cork necklace dangling around her neck. "Too keep away the nargles." Liza explained, in answering the quizzical looks scattered throughout the room.

Gandalf was wrapped on Amara's shoulder, the two of them having a heated conversation. Jade, was on top of her familiar's head, much to her delight, purring contentedly. Mary and her Puffskein were sharing another Butterbeer latte that Mary insisted on getting, and Amara had warned her not to do, because of the alcohol content, but Mary shrugged it off. Rachel was feeding Pepper some owl treats and Liza had Hazel on her arm, who was wearing a miniature butterbeer cork necklace around its neck.

The girls were traveling by Knight Bus again. In a few seconds, they would arrive at King's Cross.

"OMG OMG OMG OMG!" Liza screamed as they went through Platform 9 3/4.

Rachel was trying to calm her friend down while Amara was trying to do the same with Mary and Sophie who were hyperventilating. Mostly Mary.

They loaded their luggage into a train car and headed inside to look for an empty compartment.

They checked compartment after compartment and none of them were empty. They got to the last one which was filled with 3 boys.

"Hey, can we-" Mary said as she opened the compartment door. She sighed "UGH! This is the last one!

Mary almost fell on the carpet, when the compartment suddenly expanded. "Well, uh, that was convenient, excuse the pun."

The boys laughed at her expense.

One of them, Sophie and Amara had noticed, looked quite like Dave Strider from Homestuck. He had muggle sunglasses and a messy shock of white-blond hair. Amara nodded her head in greeting, and tapping her mirror-shaded glasses down, showing her dark-brown, almost black eyes, "Sup? You kinda look-,"

"You look like Dave Strider." Sophie said for her friend, slightly pushing her out of the way. Liza and Rachel rolled their eyes, as they weren't very fond of Homestuck (to put it nicely).

Another one, Mary had noticed, reminded her a lot of Harry Potter but with bright brown eyes and hipster glasses like hers except they were black. He was wearing a Doctor Who TARDIS sweatshirt with jeans. That was plus. She went to sit next to him. "Bowties are cool. You should try wearing one with your hoodie next time."

The boy laughed. "Sure. Maybe add a fez while I'm at it." He had a British accent. Yet another plus. pluses were everywhere, this was a large math equation, and it was adding up nicely.

The last of the boys, but certainly not the least, was wearing red and gold Gryffindor socks. He had bright red hair and a shock of freckles. Amara walked up to him and shot double-pistols with her fingers"I like your socks."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to react to that but thank you." Sock Guy really didn't know how to react to that kind of comment, but was happy with it anyways.

"Now that you five have so rudely interrupted us," Sock Guy said. "Would you mind telling us your names? I'm Fred Weasley the second, but I think that's a given. Are you new?"

"If you mean new to Hogwarts, yes. The five of us are American Muggleborn Transfers. But I've lived on this Earth for about 13 years so I don't exactly call myself 'new'." Amara said.

Fred laughed. "I like you, that was funny."

"I'm Amara. Maybe someday you'll stumble and fall upon my last name."

"I will at the sorting." Fred smirked.

"I'll stuff candle wax in your ears."

Doctor Who Boy coughed. "Will you two stop flirting and let me introduce myself?"

"Whatever," Fred huffed.

"I'm James Potter," Doctor Who Boy said. Sophie smirked. She bet $20 once that Mary would find a kid named James. She held her palm out to Liza.

"Pay up, dude, I won,"

Liza begrudgingly slapped a bill into Sophie's smug hand. As she did so, she looked down at her sweater and sneakers, now slightly regretting her fashion choices.

"Maryfrannieflora Chavez," Mary said, saying her full name. The boys gawked. "That's my full name and it's all one word." She adjusted her bright red glasses. "Just call me Mary." She adjusted her beanie. "One warning, never try to steal my beanies. Don't touch _any_ of our beanies."

The girls all adjusted their hats at that.

James thought that was a pretty original name. Mary seemed like a pretty original person with her dyed red hair and hipster glasses. The three newbies were pretty original themselves, with a 'I don't care about what you think' air about them.

"Do you actually need those glasses?"

"Yes. I'm pretty much blind without them."

"Me too." Amara added.

"You and your friend," He nodded at Amara then turned back to Mary, "look like hipsters," The blonde boy commented, flipping his hair. "I need more people for my hipster army."

"You're not serious, are you?" Sophie said between giggles. Amara scoffed.

"Why the bloody hell wouldn't I be?" He decided to go along with it.

"Well I'm sure we all would be a great addition." Amara said, a small smile forming on her face.

"No, don't do it guys, it's not as good as you think, really." Fred said grinning.

"Oh, hush, you love it. But seriously, it's just an art club, you don't even have to draw, these two idiots," The blonde jerked a pale thumb at his friends.("Hey!") "Just sit around and talk while those who _can actually_ do something _vaguely_ art-related do their thing."

"Sign. Us. Up!" Liza said clapping. "Well, Amara and Sophie draw seriously, and Mary tries. Rachel," Rachel waved and grinned. "draws very 'flattering' pictures of people," at this Rachel grinned. "and I paint. By the way, I'm Liza."

The blonder shrugged. "Sure, we take anybody."

"And by anybody you mean..." Sophie asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Just us!" James said, with a large grin and jazz hands.

"Yeah…" The blonde sighed.

Fred slugged and arm around his friend's shoulder. "But that makes it all the better!"

They all laughed. They train jerked and the girls almost fell, again.

"You guys better sit down," James said, patting the seats beside him. The girls thankfully took them, and shoved their abandoned luggage into the shelves above them.

"I don't think we caught your name, blondie," Sophie said once she was finally situated.

"Well it sure isn't blondie. Asterion, Asterion Malfoy."

The girls' faces darkened.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking but I promise he's cool," Fred said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled frighteningly quickly. "Though his father is still a complete cow."

The girls' gaze softened.

"It's true," Asterion shrugged.

"Yup!" James nodded, reaching out to pet Willy Wonka, who chirped happily.

"What _is_ that?" Fred had taken notice of Gandalf The Grey and gawked.

"One, he can hear you, and two, its Gandalf the Grey, he's a rabbit-Lizard hybrid." Gandalf turned his nose up at Fred.

"Oh, I didn't mean it in a bad way, I've just never seen an animal like that before." Fred clarified, holding his hands up in innocence.

"That's alright, I hadn't before a few day ago anyways." Amara held Gandalf out to Fred, who tentatively rested his hand on the animals head, and then started to pet it.

Jade stalked over to the middle of the compartment and jumped onto the shelves.

"Jadeeeee, come on, how will you get down!" Sophie called to her cat, afraid that she would hurt herself up there.

"Don't worry, cats do that all the time," Asterion explained to Sophie, the girl huffed, but didn't call Jade down again.

"Yeah, Soph, don't worry about it." Rachel dismissed with a wave of her hand. Rachel had two cats. She missed them and wished she could have brought at least one of them.

"So that's your, name. Sophie, right?" Asterion mused.

"Woah, you got it right! Most people called me Sophia, I hate that. Do it and I will kill you. And its Sophie Kim."

"Cool,"Asterion smiled.

The train gently rocked and the artists pulled out their sketchbooks, and started drawing. Fred

switched places with Liza so he could watch Amara draw over her shoulder and Sophie moved next to Asterion, the two of them comparing sketches and doodles. Mary sometimes stood up from her seat next to James to ask her friends art-related questions, which they would often answer with "I don't draw well enough to teach you."

Amara had pulled out her iPod and was bobbing her head to the music while doodling aimlessly, when suddenly she heard the music differently.

"Hm?" She hummed, and looked to her side to find Fred popping one of her earbuds in his ears.

"May I?" He asked politely. "I've always wanted to hear muggle music."

Amara shrugged and returned to her doodling. Fred leaned back in his seat silently and closed his eyes. The music was quite good, but nothing he had heard before. His dad had only played the wizarding radio station and his mum didn't really care as long as it was good. He liked this music though, and it had as much variety as wizard music had.

Mary, who had brought her mom's old iPod, took it out from under her beanie. No one understood why she kept it under there. Mary kept trying to say that it simply was easier to reach. Plugging in some earbuds, she turned on a Paramore album. Mary was reading the book on Powerful and Rare Occurrences in the Wizarding World again.

"What're you reading?" James said, leaning over. He was quite bored seeing as Asterion and Sophie were occupied with their doodle-art-thing, he didn't understand it. Fred and Amara were listening to music and Liza and Rachel were talking about their old school friends, Mary was the only one left to talk to.

Mary unplugged her headphones and tilted her head.

"Hm?"

James repeated his question. Mary shrugged. "I'm trying to read up on Mara and Soph's powers."

"Powers?" James didn't know Sophie and Amara had powers. Well, they all have powers, because they're wizards and witches but the way Mary was talking about it, her friends must have the kind of powers that were rare, even in the Wizarding World.

"Amara can communicate to plants and animals and Sophie has a familiar. Familiars aren't exactly a 'power' but, you know, it's still rare" Mary explained, though vaguely, tapping her chin. "So far, I haven't found anything on Mara's powers, its extremly rare, or unheard of."

"I think I know some people who could help you with that," James grinned.

The trolley lady knocked on the compartment door. "Anything from the trolley dearies?"

The girls checked their pockets for money while Asterion removed a pouch filled with oodles of golden galleons from his pocket.

"I'll pay. My family's loaded anyway, it's nice payback too," Asterion said, adjusting his shades. "What would you guys like."

"Tw-mmph!" Mary was about to ask for Chocolate Frogs but Sophie had covered her mouth, with her hand.

"Don't give Mary candy, she gets weird and hyper, trust me"

"Ah, what's the harm," Fred said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Mhm mhmmm! mhm mhmmm!" Mary tried to speak but Sophie's hand was still covering her mouth.

There was much harm, Fred soon found out, when Mary had, for the umpteenth time, broke out into dance and song in the middle of the compartment.

"Mary, shhh!" Amara said hurriedly, a finger hovering above her lips. She glared at Fred, "This is all your fault, we kitten warned you!"

Fred did feel sorry that he had let Mary have two Chocolate Frogs, five Choco Balls, three Licorice Wands, and a Pumpkin Pastie, but he still couldn't help biting his lip to stifle a laugh.

"Kitten?," He said in disbelief. "Watch your profanity, missy." He wagged a finger. Amara let loose a string of adorkable, made-up (Fred had never used that word before, and never planned to) curses that he just laughed at, holding his stomach.

"Just fix this you boneless grape," Amara sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I got this," James said, pulling out his wand. " _finite incantatum,"_ he muttered firmly, pointing his wand at Mary. All the magical caffeine and sugar was lifted from the candy, and she calmed down.

"Thanks," Amara slid down and slouched in her seat, putting a hand to her head.

"Awww, you're no fun!" Mary pouted as Sophie placed lightly pushed Mary into her to seat.

"Thanks, Jamesies." Fred said, dramatically wiping non-existent sweat off of his brow.

"Don't call me that, and you're welcome." James huffed.

Asterion chuckled, than Fred guffawed, and soon Amara was hiding a smile behind her hand. Rachel and Liza were cracking up and Sophie was badly hiding a laugh in the crook of her elbow. Sophie finally gave up and just _laughed._ Soon the whole compartment was shaking with mirth.

 _It was August 31, the first day at Charlie_ _Chaplin_ _Academy_ _and the Maryland_ _sky was clear and blue. Travis and Odinn were standing in front of the list posted on the main bulletin board, holding hands as per usual. Five names were missing from the list, Travis noticed, specifically Liza's, Amara's, Mary's, Sophie's, and Rachel's. Travis turned to his boyfriend, dropping Odinn's hand to point at the sterile, white, copy paper._

 _"_ _Where the ever-lasting caribou are they?"_

 _Odinn's eyes followed his boyfriend's finger to the list, and then nearly choked on his own saliva._

 _"_ _What! They should be here! They can't just leave without a trace!"_

 _Travis nodded solemnly._

 _School had let out, and Odinn was leaning on his boyfriend on Travis' bedroom floor, idly playing with a stray string from his bedspread, while his boyfriend called Sophie's mother._

 _"_ _Hello? Travis?"_

 _"_ _Hi Mrs. Kim! I was just wondering where Sophie was, and Amara, Mary, Liza, and Rachel are. They weren't on the list of students at school, and I didn't see them around."_

 _Sophie's mother chuckled into the phone. "Oh wow, I guess I have to tell you. They're at Hogwarts."_

 _Travis let the cell phone slip from his fingers and bounce on his mattress. Odinn accidently ripped the string off of his boyfriend's sheets._

 _"_ _They weren't kidding were they?" Travis said, vaguely remembering when they had said that they were going to England, to attend Hogwarts. He had put it off as another fanfiction that they were writing, they had written many others which included things like this. Travis sighed._

 _"_ _We. Are." Odinn started._

 _"_ _So dead." Travis said, flopping back onto his boyfriend's stomach._

 _"_ _Ow!"_

 _"_ _Oh, hush you love me." Travis booped Odinn's nose playfully. Odinn removed his boyfriend's finger from his nose, and kissed his hand._

 _"_ _Yeah, yeah, I know," He mumbled against Travis's hand. Travis's hand was a little pink after that._

 _Odinn smirked, smugly._


	5. The Sorting Ceremony

Sophie was in quite a good mood, she hadn't expected to be so happy. She had basically met a carbon copy of one of her favorite characters, Dave Strider, _and_ they were in her house. She hadn't expected to have any friends in her house, with her friends either in Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff (most likely). Asterion was an odd name, but it was charming. She chuckled lightly to herself.

Suddenly, a younger kid that looked like an Asterion clone opened the compartment door.

"Hey gu-" He started to say but did a double take when he saw the knew people, "Where did these girls come from? Asterion ELizabeth Malfoy! Mother will hear about you _seducing_ women."

Everyone started giggling. Asterion's middle name was ELizabeth? That was just too funny. _Seducing_? That was even worse. "Was the mini Asterion was serious?" Sophie wondered. He sounded annoying and evil, like her own little sister.

"Scorpius, stop being a prat, or I'll tell mom that you're seducing _men_." Scorpio's face flushed. "They came here because they didn't have seats! Why are you even here?" Asterion continued, his face redder than Fred's hair, but also smug.

Scorpius snorted. "Yeah right. I'm just here because Rosie told me that we're almost at school. You'll need to put your robes on soon." He crossed his arms.

Suddenly a sharp voice came up from behind Scorpius. "Scorp! You'd better not be annoying my cousins and your brother again. You do realize they always end up pranking you one way or another?"

A girl of average height, bushy red hair, and a splash of freckles came up from behind Scorpius. She had an intelligent aura about her and her arms were crossed. She was fussing in a sort of big-sister kind of way.

She noticed the girls. "Oh, um, hi. What are all these girls doing here?" She looked pointedly at James and Fred. She noticed that the size of the compartment was slightly larger than the rest of the other train compartments. "Why is your compartment bigger?"

Mary smiled and waved. "Hidden extension charm, nowhere else to sit. I'm Mary, what's your name?"

"Rose Weasley, nice to meet you. Are you new? I've never seen you or your other friends around before."

"We're American Muggle-born Transfers." Mary explained with a shrug.

"Harry Potter Books are our obsession," Liza said with a nod.

Rose glanced at Liza's attire. "I can see that."

"Liza, we warned you not to wear that," Amara said. Liza looked down at her fashion choices and regretted the decision, once again.

"Is that your name then?" Rose said "Liza, isn't it."

"It's just short of Yelyzaveta. I'm Ukrainian." Liza said with a casual tone. She was used to people gawking at her long name.

"I feel you Liza," Mary said "Maryfrannieflora has got to be the most odd name in the whole galaxy. Well, I come a close second to Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer Day Slitheen."

Sophie, James, Rachel and Liza laughed, understanding the Doctor Who reference. Everyone else simply looked confused.

"Is that a Doctor Who reference? It sounds like a Doctor Who reference," Amara said "Man, 99.9 percent of our speech is references.

"No, it's Twilight," Mary said, sarcastically "Of course it's Doctor Who, Mara!"

"Is Mara short for something?" Rose said, prepared this time.

"Short for Amara. Maybe someday you'll learn my last name, just like your big bro other here." She jerked her head at Fred, who looked scandalized. "Hey! I'm her cousin not her brother." He piped.

"I will at th-" Rose began to say but was interrupted by Sophie.

"She already told Fred she'll stuff candle wax in his ears. She might have to do it to you too if you talk about it."

Rose nodded. "Right. I didn't catch your names." She motioned to Sophie and Rachel.

"I'm Sophie," Sophie said. "Also known as Sapphie, Soph, Sapphire, Kimmy, Soapy, Soap, and Sop. If you call me any of those I'll kill you. Well, I'm used to Mary calling me Kimmy and Mara calling me Sapphie, and Soph's open to anyone. But, anyone else will die."

"Officially warned," Rose said, waving her hand.

"I'm Rachel. Sometimes Mary calls me Rach and Sophie calls me Racher."

"Cool."

Mary, who was staring out the window, saw the silhouette of Hogwarts in the distance."Guys? I think we need to get our robes on soon."

Sophie sighed. "Can I at least keep my combat boots on?"

Mary stared in awe at the Black Lake as they canoed over to Hogwarts. She looked over to Amara who was having a very heated, but calm conversation with the Giant Squid.

"So your name is Ed? Funny, I thought it would've Bob or something." A few bubbled rose in response, and Amara laughed.

"I'm. So. EXCITED!" Sophie had Jade on her head and was bouncing so much Mary was afraid the canoe would tip over.

Mary was secretly feeding Willy some chocolate and ranting about how the robes were itchy. "The robes are too itchy! I can't wait for the weekend. At least I'll get to wear my comfortable fandom tee-shirts."

Rachel and Liza were eagerly chatting about Hogwarts houses.

"We'll be able to visit each other's houses, right?" Rachel asked.

Liza nodded. "I hope so. If we can't, I'll just sneak in."

Mary looked around nervously around the Great Hall as they entered. Sophie was bouncing and glaring at any student who dared to look at her funny. Amara was calm and serene with Gandalf resting on top of her head. Rachel and Liza were staring at everything in awe, their eyes as wide as UFOs.

"Greetings, students. And welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" Headmistress McGonagall spread her arms out in welcome. "Now, we have five new American Muggleborn Transfers this year. They will be Sorted first." The woman extended her arm out to the girls.

"Chavez, Maryfrannieflora."

Mary gulped as she heard her name. With Willy resting in her cupped hands, she made her way to the stool. Mary, being the smallest of the group, the hat fell over her eyes.

"Ah, very difficult. You might belong in Ravenclaw for your love of books and knowledge. You might belong in Gryffindor for you are bold-"

"Hold on mister," Mary said, crossing her arms. "Since when was I bold?"

"As I was saying, you are bold, loud, and daring. But you are also extremely loyal, honest, true, and while a procrastinator, is a hard worker especially when you put your mind to it."

"You sound nothing like all those Sorting Hat quizzes."

"Ha! That's because I'm the real thing. You are very witty and quirky but I do not think you want Ravenclaw."

"No, not really."

"I trust your judgement. You would never backstab someone just for academic success. You want to gain things out of your own hard-work. And you definitely aren't sneaky and manipulative enough to be in Slytherin"

"Hey! So, get a move on?"

"It's a hatstall. You'd do well in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff."

"This is stupid. JUST MOVE ON ALREADY! No offense Mr. Hat, but I'd rather I'd be in Hufflepuff."

"Fine, I choose HUFFLEPUFF!"

Mary stood up and gingerly placed the hat back on the stool. She had been sitting for nearly five minutes and her legs had nearly fallen asleep. Mary made her way to the Hufflepuff table who was cheering the loudest.

"Hello, Mary. Welcome to Hufflepuff," A boy with a Head Boy badge glittering on his chest grinned. He had bright blue hair and warm brown eyes. "I'm Teddy Lupin, head boy. You sure took a while on that stool."

"I know, right?" Mary said. "One moment," Mary held up a finger and slipped away from the table. In her small hands, she rolled two small balls of wax. Moving uncharacteristically sneakily, she popped up behind Fred, just as the Amara's name was about to be called, stuffing the wax into his ears.

"Hayling, Amara," McGonagal called, before placing the hat on Amara's head.

Fred cursed at Mary, while she laughed loudly behind him, but it was too late.

"Go Baby haystack!" Mary yelled, getting a thumbs up in response from Amara.

"Hello Mr. Sorting Hat." Amara said, somewhat smugly.

"Hello. How are you doing today?"

"Oh just fine thank you, sir." Amara replied.

"A sneaky little fox aren't you?"

"Eh, I prefer raccoons."

"And good at keeping secrets. Calm on the outside, but very messy on the inside, Hm? Wise also, and full of greed for knowledge. Ravenclaw would be okay, but you're more than that..."

"You got it." Amara winked from inside the hat.

"I would warn you about the muggle-born thing, but you don't seem to care, hm? Yes, well, all the best traits of a SLYTHERIN!" The hat called. Amara hopped gracefully off of the stool, and handed the hat to the headmistress in one swift move. Walking to the Slytherin table, she threw a double-pistols-and-wink to the stunned Fred, now lacking ears full of wax, and received a high five from Asterion.

"Kim, Sophie," The headmistress called out. Mary decided to call her Minnie from now on, after Minerva.

"Hmmmmmmmm. You are very close to your friends, like a Hufflepuff. You are loud and a bit brave too. But that doesn't suit you. No…"

"Just put me in Slytherin!"

"Very well but realize as you are a Muggleborn, many Slytherins will not accept you, I told your friend this too."

Sophie smirked and stood up, "They better prepare then!". She didn't even want to wait for the hat to scream Slytherin. She walked away, and hugged Amara tightly once she reached her table, much to Amara's protest. Asterion lips threatened to tug into a real smile, but he stopped it. That was against his policies.

"Van Culin, Rachel."

Rachel grinned. Someone pronounced it right. Placing the hat on her head, it took quite a while.

"You have the properties of every house. But I know you are not a Slytherin. Nor are you Hufflepuff."

Rachel frowned, she was hoping she'd be with Mary or at least someone she knew. But she didn't want Slytherin. She remembered them from the movies. In Ravenclaw she'd be with Liza, probably, which was a plus, but not enough. Gryffindor was the place where all the cool stuff happened.

"You have the intelligence and academic ability to be in Ravenclaw. But you are brave enough to be in Gryffindor and certainly daring enough. My final decision is GRYFFINDOR!"

Rachel sat down next to a kid with curly dirty-blonde hair and hazel eyes. He looked very interested in the plant he was holding.

"Hi, I'm Rachel." She nodded in greeting.

Plant kid stuttered. He was very shy after all. "I-I'm Fr-Frank."

Rachel nodded. "'Sup?"

"Voyt-sek-ho-ves-ka, Yelyzaveta?" Mary giggled. Professor Minnie couldn't pronounce Liza's name.

"That's me, and it' s alright."She tugged the hat onto her hair with a grin. "Just call me Liza."

"Sooooo?" Liza said, kicking her legs, excitedly.

"I would expect a Gryffindor to be this excited, or a Hufflepuff. There isn't much contemplation needed here."

"Is that a bad thing?" Liza questioned.

"Not at all! It means you get to choose. What will it be?"

"Ravenclaw all the way, baby! Wait no, I am really cunning too, so maybe Slytherin. Wait but I'm also hardworking, at least to a certain extent, so maybe Hufflepuff? Wait no I'm also bold, at least I think, so I uhhhhh… Actually I better be in Ravenclaw, because I bought all the merch so..."

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat called. And Liza skipped away to her table, where she was stopped by two boys, who were obviously twins, holding their hands out. Liza shook both of them firmly, a broad smile on her face.

"We're Lorcan and Lysander, and have made it our personal goal to welcome every new Ravenclaw until we leave here." One of the boys said. The other grinned.

"Thanks!" Liza said, sitting down next to the pair.

"Now that thats all wrapped up." The headmistress said, clapping her hands. "Let's get on to the British folk." The first-years cheered in response.

"This is literally, the best food I have ever had." Sophie said licking her plate and reaching for some more of what she had just eaten.

"Jegus Soph, slow down." Amara commented, eating small fork-fulls.

"Don't worry, the school only lets you take what you can eat, so she'll be fine until the plate disappears." Asterion chuckled.

"Yea Mara!" Sophie said, swallowing.

"Fine, whatever." Amara went back to her Mermish book and her eating.

At the Hufflepuff table, Mary had done the same thing. The plate had disappeared not to soon after she started eating and she yelped in surprise when it happened. Teddy had laughed at that. Liza chatted with the twin she had met, happily discussing different ways to ward off nargles, and Rachel talked to Frank. It wasn't one-sided, but it was slow, Frank was _really_ shy, but Rachel didn't mind, She had been that way before, and knew how it felt. When she vocalized that thought, Frank blushed a deep red.

"So what's that plant you've been looking at." Rachel asked.

Frank's face lit up. "It was a gift from my father! To be completely honest though, I have no idea. That's what I was trying to figure out, actually." It was the clearest his voice had been that day.

"Wow, I'll have to show my friend this."

"H-huh?" Frank stammered.

"Yup! Amara has something special with them I think." Fred chimed from across the table.

"Yea, maybe she could help." Rachel suggested.

"I-I might a-ask, or-" Frank started, but Fred stopped him.

"I can ask her, Mate." Fred smiled.

"Thanks!" Frank said, relieved.

When the last of the golden plates had disappeared, Headmistress McGonagall delicately place the tip of her wand to the base of her throat and muttered, "Sonorous." She cleared her throat.

"Right! It looks like you lot are right and done with your dinner, am I correct?"

The room was filled with a chorus of, "Yes!"

"I'm sure! So, I need to have a word with you before you head off to your common rooms. And yes, I have to go over the rules again for our new students. So bear with me, Yes?"

The students offered a comical groan, and the old woman chuckled, knowing that they didn't mean it.

"As always, don't stray into the Forbidden Forest, unless accompanied by a teacher or given special permission. Only third years and above with parental permission are allowed on Hogsmeade trips, no trying to sneak out," She wagged a finger. "We will know. Now that we've got that out of the way, I have a special announcement."

Excited whispers filled the hall. "Yes, as you should know, another five years have past since our last tournament in 2010. As you know, we've decided to reinstate the tradition five years ago, in 2010, much to the urge of 1995 champions. is still dearly missed." The students quieted for a moment, and so did the headmistress.

"But I'm sure continuing is something he would have wanted. The students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute will be arriving soon, so I expect you to greet them kindly."

The children cheered again.

"And with that, off to your common rooms!"

"Right over here, first years," Teddy said, leading the students over to the Hufflepuff common rooms, his now purple hair in a long braid flapping as he walked.

He stops at a stack of barrels near a large portrait of a bowl of fruit. Mary instantly recognized the portrait as the entrance to the kitchens.

On one of the middle barrels, Teddy starts tapping a tune that sounded like: "Hel-ga Huffle-puff," If you listened closely. The barrel's lid popped open, revealing a slide.

"In you go," Teddy said, waving his hand at the base of the barrel-slide. "Make sure you don't tap the wrong rhythm or barrel or you'll get doused in vinegar. And I'll smell who did it."

Mary loved the slide. It was amazing! It had all types of twists and turns, which finished in a round, sunny, and low ceilinged room. Mysterious plants lined the walls and circular windows showed magical mosaics of swaying grass and was an earthy aroma about the room, almost like they were in a forest or field of flowers, there was a fireplace, and there were couches covered with soft yellow quilts.

"Girl's dorms on the left, boy's on the right," Teddy pointed to a hallway with doors lining each side.

Mary's dorm was four doors down in the hallway and the plaque read: "4th Year Girls- Dominique Weasley, Maryfrannieflora Chavez, Alice Longbottom, Anna MacMillan, Paige Fletchley, Catherine Contraire."

"So many people packed into one room?"Mary thought, but trusted the school, it was probably bigger on the inside.

She pushed open the door to expose a clean smelling cozy dorm room with 3 large beds on each side. The beds were covered with Black and Yellow quilts and every girl had a trunk filled with their possessions at the end of the bed. A soft yellow light illuminated the room and Mary noticed a few scented candles placed in unorganized places.

Five other girls were sitting on their separate beds chatting with the people next to them. Mary took the empty bed on the same side as the girl with rose-gold hair and blue eyes and the girl with dirty blonde hair and a friendly round face.

Mary plopped down on her bed with a relaxed sigh. Taking one of her favorite books out of her trunk, Yes Please by Amy Poehler, she started reading and settled down. She could get used to this.

"This way first years! Get a move on!" The head girl, Arabella Flint called over her shoulder, walking swiftly.

Sophie and Amara were on their way to the Slytherin common rooms. Sophie considered it a whole new adventure just walking to the basement dungeon. An eerie but calming sound accompanied them as they descended, and the candles started to give off a greenish glow. Amara gently dragged her finger on the black walls.

Arabella stopped at a large, damp dungeon wall.

"Why did we stop here?" Sophie asked, staring at the wall expectedly.

"Shush it, mudblood. We have to say the password, scum! We'll be changing it every week so you better pay attention." Arabella said, sneering at Sophie before reciting the password. "Parselmouth."

Sophie smiled and gave Arabella a thumbs up. Who cares? Mudblood is just a silly little word. Amara, who was completely ignored or at least, left alone, even though she shared Sophie's blood status, vowed that Arabella would be their first victim. Of pranking that is.

As Arabella spoke the password, the stone disappeared and revealed a rectangular shaped hole that led into the common rooms.

Sophie and Amara entered with a quick gasp of air. The common room was partially underneath the Black Lake, and the only window blocked the water from crashing in. Amara smiled warmly as she saw Ed the Squid pass by.

The common room had a greenish tinge with black and dark green leather sofas and dark wooden cupboards and floorboards. Skulls and Tapestries decorated the room and giving it a medieval feel.

"This. place. is. AWESOME!" Sophie screamed, breaking the silence. Amara stifled a laugh and tried to hush her friend.

"Shoosh Sophie. You don't want to get it trouble with Arabella. At least not yet."

"Fine" Sophie grumbled, crossing her arms.

Sophie and Amara thought the dorm rooms were just as eye-catching. They got one to themselves, ("No silly muggle-haters killing us in our sleep," Sophie had whispered behind her hand to Amara) as it was two girls per dorm.

Sophie jumped onto the very fluffy mattress covered in dark green quilts, landing on her back and spreading out her limbs, waving them like she was making snow angels.

"Ahhhhhh," Sophie sighed as, Jade plopped down on her stomach, purring. Sophie had her cosplay journal next to her, maybe she would make Amara design outfits later. With those sewing spells from Mary's weird book, cosplay would be a cinch, if she ever learned them.

Amara was sitting quietly on her bed drawing. Sophie moved over to her and had a great idea.

"Mara! Can you draw Arabella being strangled by the Squid? Please! Please! Pleassss"

Amara turned to another page. "Fine. But if I get in trouble, I'm blaming it on you!"

Rachel was getting a bit tired. They had gone through so many flights of stairs just to get to the Gryffindor common rooms that her legs ached and wobbled with each step.

It was worth it though. The Gryffindor common room had a large fireplace and many squashy armchairs to relax on, which Rachel did. The scarlet tapestries and warm fire made Rachel feel even more at home

She tried to remember the password. She thought it was "Waddiwasi". But she didn't care, She'd ask Frank or James or Fred later if she needed it.

Fred, James, and Frank were sitting down on the carpet and playing a game of exploding snap. On the table next to Rachel, Albus and Scorpius were playing a game of Wizard's Chess ("You can't do that," "Bloody hell yeah I can! Whatcha gonna do about it, Potter?") while Rose read a book ("Shut your mouths guys can't you see that I'm busy?" "Sorry Rosies.").

At around 8:30, the head boy, Birch Wood, declared it was time for everyone to head to their dorm rooms("That means you Albus, go upstairs. The game can wait, you can come back tomorrow.") .

"The door to the girls dorms is on the left, boys on the right."

Rachel opened the door on the left and sighed against the circular wall. _"Ugh, more stairs,"_ She Thought.

After another flight of stairs, Rachel finally got to her dorm room. Most of the other girls in her dorm were either asleep or chatting amongst themselves, and she didn't want to interrupt.

Settling down on the red and gold mattress and pulling up her covers, Rachel fell asleep.

The head girl, Rowen Tubman, led Liza and the other Ravenclaws to Ravenclaw Tower. It was surprisingly short walk for such a tall tower, but Liza guessed that the journey was made faster by talking to Lysander and Lorcan, who had taken a particular interest in her. That in itself was not surprising, as she also believed in nargles, wrackspurts, and other creatures that most would label as non-existent.

"Come on, first years," She said, a hop in her step. Rowen was a tall girl with auburn hair and blue eyes. She had a loud sharp voice with a prominent Scottish lilt, but she looked like she had good intentions, so Liza didn't mind.

She stopped in front of a door with no doorknob or keyhole. There was only a bronze eagle doorknocker.

"What comes first? The phoenix or the flame?" The knocker asked.

"A circle has no beginning," Rowen answered, rolling her eyes with a laugh.

The first-years gawked as a doorknob appeared. Rowen opened the door to expose the common rooms. The room was wide and circular with gold curtains and a blue carpet. The domed ceiling was enchanted to show a starry sky. There were many oak bookcases and tables and chairs lining the pale blue walls. The room was light and airy and had the feel of a library, study, living room, and workshop all in one. There were a few plants on the windowsills, many astronomy posters lined the walls, and there wasn't a place in the room where a bookcase was not in sight. The room was very large, and there were some tables that were perfect for experiments, which Liza loved to do. She saw some jars, plants, and notebooks on a table with the label: "Lysander's experiment: please do not touch".

Rowen grinned. "That, young ones, is the way you enter the common rooms, you should get it in no time! Now, the dormitory entrance is right next to the marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. You can sit here and relax until curfew."

Liza had already settled on a cushioned chair and had started reading a book on Astronomy. Lysander and Lorcan came over to her with a Wizard's Chess set, interrupting her book-induced stupor. Liza watched with fascination as they played.

"Ha!" Lysander said "I win! In your face, Lorrie!"

Lorcan scowled. "Grrr. I told you not to call me that!"

"Too bad so sad Loraine. I could do this all. day." He squinted playfully at his brother.

"Bring it, Sandra,"

"You g-guys are, are," Liza could barely talk between laughs.

"We're what?" They said in unison, turning their head to the laughing girl.

"Nothing Noth-,"

"Okay You lot! Time to get on to bed!" Rowen called, striding into the room, clapping her hands twice to get everyone's attention.

All of them walked up the stairs to their respective dorms, Liza stopped at what was obviously her door, it had her name on it. Four other girls were already getting ready for bed, and either settling down with a book, or talking in hushed tones. As she was entering the dorm, she tripped over a stray book. Before she could hit the floor, one of the girls - one with black hair and wearing cat printed pyjamas cast a spell. Liza didn't hear the incantation, since she was too busy falling, but she thought she heard something like "spongify". When she hit the ground, it was soft and bouncy, a bit like a trampoline. Liza quickly got up and brushed herself off as she thanked the girl who had cast the charm. "Oh it's no problem, it was my book in the first place." The girl said, giving Liza an apologetic look.

"Oh it's alright. I'm Liza by the way. Also known as Yelyzaveta and Liza but they're both boring." One by one, each of the four girls identified themselves. "I'm Norma." said the black haired one who has cast the charm. "I'm Marlene." said a brunette with glasses as she smiled. "I'm Kat." said one with dirty blond hair. A long pause went by as the other girls looked expectantly towards another blond girl, this one with platinum blond hair. Finally Kat, the closest to her poked her in the ribs. Finally she looked up from her book. "Wha- Oh. Uhh hi.. I'm Charlotte, but everybody calls me Lottie." said the fourth girl, bright blue braces flashing as she talked.

Liza cupped a hand over her mouth, disguising a yawn, and closed her eyes, stretching out on the bed happily. She mentally said goodnight to her friends, and she had a feeling that they all understood her, and said good night back. She hoped they were as happy in their houses as she was with hers, but she already knew they were.


	6. Paradoxes Do Not Occur

The two of Mary's roommates stood on either side of her bed, wondering if they should wake her up.

"Should we wake her up?" The first girl said, prodding the sleeping girl with her index finger. She was the one with rose gold hair and blue eyes.

"I think so. I wouldn't want to leave her here, that would also leave her with a bad impression of us," The second one said. She had short dirty blonde hair and a round face, which was tilted up in thought.

"Do you think she's nice?"

The blonde gave her friend a look. "She's a Hufflepuff. Obviously, we're supposed to be the nice ones."

The rose gold haired girl poked at Mary. "Hey new girl! It's time for us to leave. Would you, um, please wake up?"

Mary turned and groaned, stretched her arms out, and curled back into her blankets. She mumbled. "Mommm. Five more minutess."

The blonde stifled a laugh. The rose gold haired girl sighed. "I'm not your mum. I don't think mums sound like British 14-year olds. Most of the time anyway. Now, how about you get up so you aren't late and we can finally introduce ourselves."

Mary got up and blinked her eyes open. "Good morning. Sorry I called you mum. It's instinct. What's your name? I'm Mary. I reaaalllly don't want to change out of my pajamas-"

The rose gold haired girl laughed. "Woah there, Mary. I'm Dominique but never call me that unless you want me to sick my little brother, Louis, on you. He's in Slytherin. I will only be called Dom. You'd want to be called that too if your idiot of a mum named you Dominque."

Mary gave Dom a Cheshire Cat grin. "My two best friends are in Slytherin too. They're right evil bums, especially when you get to know them."

The blonde looked tilted her head. She didn't understand why this girl had an American accent but she sounded so British. "Why do you sound so British?"

Mary laughed. "I'm obsessed with anything British. Well, except for boy bands. I prefer Ed Sheeran. British books, British TV, British tea, you've got it."

"Oh, um, okay. I'm Alice Longbottom, please don't get obsessed over me,'' The blonde smiled, showing off her dimples, not scared of the small "american-but-british" girl.

Dom looked at an imaginary watch. "Oh looky here, it's time to get dressed. I do hope Anna isn't hogging the bathroom again."

The three of them crossed the room to the bathroom. Luckily, no one else was occupying it.

"We'll let you go first. Hufflepuff hospitality and all that." Alice shrugged.

Mary smiled. "Thanks, I owe you one."

Mary went into the bathroom and freshened up. She stared with a wistful smile at her Hogwarts robes. Her used to be plain black tie had now become yellow and black striped over night. Mary picked up her wand and with a spell from her book, she magic-ed on her tie (well she magic-ed on half, then, after the few times, the other half). She'd never knew how to do a tie on her own anyways.

Mary quickly brushed her shoulder length dyed-red hair, tugged on a Hufflepuff themed beanie, and laced up her black ballet slippers. She had thrown away the dress shoes before she went to bed last night.

She smiled, adjusting her glasses, and headed out.

"It's all yours."

Alice and Dom played rock-paper-scissors to see who'd get the bathroom next.

Dom laughed. "Ha! Paper beats rock. I get to go. That's three outta three times, Al!"

Alice huffed. "Don't call me Al. I'm not James's little brother."

Dom sassily flipped her rose gold hair "Whatever." And sashayed her way inside the bathroom slamming the door.

Amara stood over Sophie's bed, waiting for her friend to wake up. Jade was up too and was playing with Gandalf in the corner.

"Soph!" Amara poked her "Wake the creepy cat up. We have to get dressed. It's time to go to class. I swear to the Hussie i'll leave you here"

"Whyyyyy? And the Hussie doesn't give a poot." Sophie buried her head into her pillow for emphasis. She simply didn't want to get up. Jade, who had stopped playing with Gandalf, batted gently at her familiar's face, and scowled(or at least tried to).

Amara sighed. "Fine, then we'll be pranking Arabella without you." Amara walked towards to their bathroom door (no one wanted to share the bathroom with the "mudbloods"), crossing her arms to wait for her friend to pull her head out of sleepy-dreamland.

Sophie dragged herself out of bed. "Fine. I'm coming. But I get dibs on the bathroom."

Amara huffed. "Go ahead but you'd better not fall asleep in there!"

Sophie smiled evilly. It didn't work very well though as her hair had become a messy lion's mane overnight. Amara stifled a laugh in her elbow. If she was going to have to deal with this every day, she might want to take pictures.

Sophie placed Jade on her head and pushed Amara out of the way. "Heca firimar! Outta my way peasant!"

Amara shook her head, a small smile on her face. That girl was a handful, good thing they were in the same houses.

Sophie quickly got ready and dressed in her robes. That Slytherin tie was going to take ages to tie properly, so she tied it like a shoelace around her neck.

She absolutely despised the dress shoes they were forcing her to wear. Being a total rebel, she threw the shoes into the infinite trash can. She pushed her feet into her combat boots and laced them up. That already took up a good eight minutes. Sophie fixed her ponytail, just remembering that her hair was a total mess. Sophie cupped Jade in her hands and nuzzled her nose into her fur and walked out of the bathroom.

Sophie smiled at Amara, who looked pretty pissed.

"Took you long enough," Amara huffed.

"I had to put my combat boots on!"

Amara rolled her eyes and walked inside the bathroom. "you can do that _outside_ of the bathroom like normal people!" She called over her shoulder.

"I don't wanna be normal!" Sophie called back as the door closed.

Amara pulled on her huge black platform boots. If Sophie gets to wear combats, she gets to wear her platforms. Plus, her robes were long enough to hide the top her shoes, so no one would know unless they were looking for her specific footwear. She hurriedly dressed in her robes and tie the best she could, tucking it into her sweater. She was going to have to ask someone how to properly put the tie on soon. Amara settled for putting her hair into twin buns as usual. Mary had given her two hair-ties decorated with fake flowers and weird little monster charms as a present a few weeks back. Amara used those two to secure her buns and she was done.

Amara got out of the bathroom to find Sophie trying to hide Jade unsuccessfully in her messenger bag.

"JADEY! Come on, get in, please?" The cat hissed. "Watch out for the quills, Jadey!"

Amara face-palmed once again. Oh, what a year this was going to be.

Rachel woke up a little earlier than her roommates. That only meant that she would get to the bathroom first. Rachel brushed her hair and put her robes on. That tie was going to take ages. Why couldn't it be clip on? Rachel tied it around her neck like a bowtie and smiled. Bowties are cool.

Discarding the disgusting dress shoes, she put on the knee-high boots she used for horseback riding, it reminded her of home.

Since she had a lot of time before her roommates woke up, Rachel took two thin strands of her hair from the front and braided them down towards the back of her head. Mary had taught her this hairstyle and liked how it kept the hair out of her eyes.

Rachel smiled, satisfied, and walked out of the bathroom. She must've been up really early if no one was up by the time she was done.

She checked to make sure all of her supplies were in her gigantic saddle bag and headed down the steps towards the common room.

Rachel sat herself in front of the roaring fire and decided to wait for Frank, Fred, and James to come down. They were, after all, the only people whom she knew in Gryffindor. But they were the kind of people who would wake up late, she suspected.

Liza's roommates were all fast asleep. For some reason, she felt as if she knew exactly what they were dreaming of, which she didn't dwell on.

Liza stretched her arms out and yawned. She headed into bathroom, her short hair a crazy mess.

Liza put on her butterbeer cork necklaces. The nargles shall now be kept at bay. She put on her robes, a soft pair of black flats, and brushed her hair, humming. She looked down proudly at her Ravenclaw tie. It had taken ages to learn but she finally mastered the art of tie-tying.

Liza walked out into the common rooms, the door almost hitting the marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw in the face. Lysander and Lorcan were waiting for her right next to the exit.

"Sup," Liza said. It took some time, but she finally could tell the difference between the twins.

Lysander's hair was more a lighter shade of blond and his eyes were a darker shade of blue. Lorcan had a light splash of freckles on his pale face and was slightly taller.

"Hello, Liza," Lysander said. Lorcan only nodded, not looking up from his Care of Magical creatures textbook.

"Hai."

"Come on, I don't want to be late for breakfast." Lysander suggested.

"But we're early," Lorcan said, raising an eyebrow.

"Whatever, there's so many flights of stairs to climb down. I'd rather it not be during rush hour."

"Whatever you say, Sandra."

"Sooo," Amara said, looking around the Great Hall. Apparently, you only sit at specific tables for the sorting. Now, none of the tables had flags hanging over them, and a large mix of colors were sitting at every table.

"Ack!" Sophie grinned, bumping into Amara. "Don't stop randomly like that!"

"Sorry bu-Wah!" Amara nearly fell as the weight of three of her best friends crashed down on her.

"Mars!" Mary cheered, squeezing her friend.

"Were you wondering where to sit?" Liza asked, her arms wrapped around Amara.

"Um, yeah, can you um, like, let go of me!" Amara breathed.

"Yeah, where do we sit!" Sophie asked, who had also started hugging Amara.

"The guys said we could sit with them!" Rachel said, taking arms hand and leading the throng to what had last night been the gryffindor table. The rest of the girls, still wrapped around Amara stumbled to where Rachel was dragging them.

"Hey again, you lot! We were just talking about you!" Lysander called, scooting over to make room for Liza and Rachel, who released Amara and sat down.

"So Miss 'Maybe you'll stumble upon my last name', It seems you're in quite the pickle!" Fred guffawed.

"Ast. James. Help me get these kids offa me so I can _murder_ Fred."

After laughing, the two of them got up and dragged the girls off of their friend. The girls sighed, having been defeated, and sat down.

Amara then, after wobbling a little to regain her balance, ruffled Fred's hair playfully, but also thoroughly, before taking her seat. "Anyways, what were you saying about us?"

"Well," Lorcan continued. "Ast was talking about getting some new members for their little club, and they mentioned Liza. We told him that we knew her and he suggested that we," he paused, waving his hand at his twin. "Join too."

"Now that they have new members, we thought that their club thing wasn't so bad after all. So I wanted to know from you lot, should we join?"

"Oh!" Mary piped. "Yeah I guess, I mean, we haven't been to any meetings yet but it sounds cool, and I trust Amara's judgement, so if she joined it must be okay." Mary finished, digging into the eggs that had just appeared on her plate.

"Soph, what do you think? Should they join?" Asterion said, turning to Sophie, who was tearing through a waffle.

"Huh? Oh, the 'art' club! Yeah, sure if you want." Sophie said, licking the syrup from her plate.

"Alrighty then!" The twins said in unison.

"Right!" Asterion pulled out a sheet of parchment and wrote the twins' names down, right under the new girls'. "There's a meeting on Friday, and yes Mary there will be candy! Don't be late, 4 o'clock, got it!"

Amara, Mary, and Sophie arrived in Minerva's office, a bit disgruntled, but nervous. They knew that they hadn't done anything to get themselves in trouble, or at least they thought they hadn't. But then the owl came to them during the middle of breakfast, with a small note telling them they had to see the headmistress.

"H-Hello, Professor or, uh, Headmistress, sorry, I mean, yes?" Amara stuttered, fixing her posture, her hands trembling slightly.

"Hello!" Mary and Sophie chimed.

"Oh don't worry dears, you're not in trouble. I just need to give you these." She held out a golden necklace to each of them.

"T-time turners?" Amara asked, relieved, but still intimidated.

"The three of you took too many classes to be completed in only 4 periods. So you will have to use these to make sure you get to them."

The girls took them tentatively, and inspected the object, turning it over in their hands, carefully not to move the two rings on either side of the tiny hour-glass.

"No you will learn how to use it." McGonagall continued.

The girls glanced at each other, then turned back to their professor, eager to hear what she had to say.

After Breakfast, the group parted to their first period classes. Amara and Rachel had potions together, as it would become one of their best subjects. They marched into Professor Slughorn's classroom a little late, apologizing quickly, Amara's accompanied with little head bows.

"Ah, you must be my new students! Come in, come in, you're just on time." Professor Slughorn was a jolly old man that slightly resembled an old upholstered chair, though sitting on him would not be a good idea. The girls took seats towards the back of the dungeon

"Now, today, we will be be brewing the Draught of Living Death," He said with a flourish. "Now, partner up quickly! The team that makes the best potion gets to choose a vial of one of my many, many potions. " He gestured to his desk and cabinets.

The class erupted with activity as people rushed to choose the best partners.

"Hey Amara," Rachel said, turning to nudge her friend. "Wanna partner up?"

Amara nodded, "Why is that a question?" She said, swooping the potions book up in her arms. She remembered this potion from the Half Blood Prince book, which she studied until she could do it in her sleep. They were going to ACE this.

Mary and Liza had Charms together. They were the shortest of their friends. Thinking of Professor Flitwick's dwarf-like size, the two girls wondered if being short made you better at charms. They were disappointed to find out that the Advanced Charms Class was filled with students of varying heights, and since it was their first class, they were probably pretty good.

Liza and Mary sat down next to each other and set their stuff down, trying not to make too much noise. A delicate looking vase was placed on every student's desk, giving a friendly, peaceful air to the classroom.

"Hello students," The tiny professor squeaked. "Today we will be practicing Mending Charms. Does anyone here know what the incantation happens to be?"

Mary raised her hand. "Reparo."

"Excellent, ten points to Hufflepuff. Would anyone care to show me the wand movement?"

Liza raised her hand and she demonstrated the swirling wand movement, her lip poking out of her mouth in concentration.

"Excellent! Ten points to Ravenclaw."

Flitwick cleared his throat. "Now, I would like you all to SMASH, and I mean SMASH your vase and fix it with the spell you have just learned. The first person to get it right will earn 20 house points, He clapped his hands. "Chop, Chop students!"

Mary looked at the vase uncertainly before slowly reaching for one of her heavier books, which happened to be her History of Magic textbook. She lifted it, and quickly brought it down on the vase. Many crashes rang throughout the room, accompanying hers. Shiny porcelain pieces were shattered all over her desk.

"Reparo," Mary said, concentrating hard as she did the wand movement.

The largest pieces of the vase wobbled a bit then came together, but, the tiny little shards were still scattered on the floor. Mary sighed before trying it once again. The tiny little shards joined with the vase, now complete.

Mary grinned and bounced in her seat, squealing. Next to her, Liza had achieved the spell fully after the tiny specks had joined together. Her shards came together in the opposite order of Mary's. They had finished their vases at the same time though, and when they realized this, they high-fived.

"Yeah!" They shouted as their palms slapped together in the air.

Professor Flitwick smiled. "Excellent! 20 points to both Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw!"

Sophie, Asterion, Fred, and all James had Defense Against the Dark Arts together. James's mother, Ginny Weasley-Potter, taught this class. Sophie was extremely pleased to find out. James didn't mind of course, his mum was an awesome teacher, and really enjoyed her position. Sometimes, his dad came, and those were always interesting lessons.

Sophie sighed. "Why did these weirdos have to be the ones good at Defense? Mary, curse you for being better at Charms. Amaraaaa why isn't this your first class today! Its one of your best classes anyways, on the same level as potions. Stupid schedules, don't they know about friends." She shook her fist in the air.

Asterion chuckled. "Hush, Soph, you're talking to yourself."

Her head snapped around to face him, "So?"

"Nothing's wrong with it. Are you trying out for Quidditch?" Asterion paused. "Oh wait, you're muggle-born."

Sophie scoffed. "So? I know how to play."

Asterion smirked. "The spots for Beater and Keeper are free, you going to try?"

Sophie shrugged. "Sure. I'll try out for Beater. When're the tryouts?"

"Oh, you're serious. Friday. Gryffindor and Slytherin have it at the same time. We have the people trying out go against the other team to test them out."

"Our team's gonna kick butt this year!" James called over to him. Fred nodded firmly.

"Our?" Sophie questioned. "What're you guyses spot on the team?"

"I'm Chaser. Fred's Beater."

"Oh, okay," Sophie nodded. Mary had told her that Ginny was a chaser. James didn't have to be a seeker like Harry. "If James isn't Seeker, then who is? Albus?"

"Naw," Fred said "Albus is also Chaser. The Seeker, Joan Reyes, graduated last year. We have tryouts for Chaser and Seeker this year." They entered the classroom, some of the first students.

"Hello boys," Ginny Potter said as she saw the three boys, her child, and the children of her closest friends . She looked startled and taken aback as she noticed Sophie. "-And girl I don't know. Are you one of the transfers?'

"Mhm," Sophie said as she re-tied her combat boots.

"Those aren't dress shoes."

Sophie covered them up with her robes, grinning, knowing that their teacher wouldn't care. "Hehe, they're totally dress shoes. Not combat boots at all."

Ginny laughed. "It's alright. I haven't seen a single student wear the correct shoes. Well, except for Rose but she's Hermione's daughter, what would you expect." She chuckled.

The students filed in. Sophie took her seat next to Asterion, who looked surprised that anyone besides James or Fred wanted to sit next to him. Sophie gave him a look, and Asterion turned back to face the board, his nose a bit rosy.

"Alright everyone," Professor Potter said. "No quill or parchment needed. We'll be reviewing boggarts. Everyone, form a single straight line in front of that closet." She pointed to the closet in the corner.

Sophie rushed to get there first, itching to find out her fear.

"Now, what is the spell for repelling a boggart?"

"Riddukulus." The class chorused.

"Good, now, Sophie open the closet and go first."

Sophie opened the closet, and her eyes widened as she back away. A large, at least five feet tall on its side, syringe hopped out after her, its needle glinting in the sun light.

Sophie kept backing up. She feebly waved her wand, "Ri-ri-ridduku-lu," She stammered. Her back hit the wall.

"You can do it Soph!" Asterion called.

"Yeah!" Fred and James shouted, pumping their fists in the air.

Sophie braced her over hand on the wall behind her, her breathing shallow. "Ri-ri JAMMIT! RIDDUKULUS! RIDDUKULUS!"

The syringe shrunk with each cry of the incantation, until flew back into the closet, too fast for anyone to see its true form.

"RIDDUKULUS! RIDDUKULUS! RIDUK-RIDUKkulus." Sophie kept shouting, her breathing raspy and heavy, but quick.

"Sophie it's gone now!" Asterion said, running to her and grabbing her shoulders, steadying her.

Her breathing slowed.

"Thanks." She said, panting lightly, wiping sweat of her brow. Asterions hands lingered before he realized what he was doing, and her pulled away quickly, as if he had been shocked. He cursed in his head, and gritted his teeth.

"Its...okay. We're here for you, got it?" Asterion said as he stepped back.

James and Fred nodded, patting her head.

"Yeah...thanks." Sophie said, smiling warily. "Thanks."

The black substance in the cauldron bubbled lightly. Amara and Rachel leaned over the potion, peering into its depths.

"You sure you did it perfectly?" Rachel asked, her eyes not leaving their assignment.

"Of course, I'm a perfectionist," Amara replied cooly.

"Good."

"Times up class!" Slughorn called, ringing a small bell. He made his way to each desk, dropping a leaf into each one, his expression unreadable, and no one except the students at each particular table could see the result of their concoction. The girls were trembling by time the potions master came to their table

He dropped a leaf into their cauldron, and it disintegrated on impact.

"Ohoho! Look at that! It seems that I have to winners!" The professor said, stepping away from their table. The class held their breath.

"Amara and Rachel and," The girls erupted in cheers and jumped up and down, punching the air. Slughorn cleared his throat, bringing the class back to his attention.

"and, Madeline and Zander!" He boomed, as too smug looking kids at the table across from Rachel and Amara, broke out into large grins. "And since it's a tie, You will have to race to the potions, and claim one potion each group, which I will split between the two of you. One, two, Go!"

The children tore off, Rachel arriving at the shelf almost instantly, but Amara soon caught up. Their eyes scanned the labels before they found one they liked, which only took about three seconds.

"That one!" They shouted together pointing at a green-colored potion, labeled 'Erumpent Potion' just as the other kids arrived at the shelf.

"Oooh, the Erumpent potion! Be careful with this little bugger! It explodes on anything it touches!" The old man said, plucking the tiny bottle for Rachel's hands, and pouring half of the contents into a tiny bottle the same size as the other. He then stabbed a wire bent over at the top into a circle, clipping small chains into them. "There you have it!" He presented the potion-necklaces to them, and the girls took them warily, and put them on.

Then they exchanged mischievous grins.

Amara, Rachel, Mary, and Sophie had astronomy at the same times, which they were very thankful for. As it was their first day, the professor, Aurora Sinistra, only introduced herself and sat them down on large cushions, and had them look up at the sky. She encouraged them to just get lost in the vast void of space, and think about what they saw.

When the class ended, they hobbled out in a trance, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the new brightness.

Liza had potions, and though she didn't win any prizes, Slughorn complimented her highly on her concoction, which she accepted graciously.

Fred and James shared history of magic, which they of course, passed notes through. They promised that they at least, tried to pay attention, but they just couldn't. But somehow it was their second best class.

Asterion was alone in charms, though he didn't mind. He thought that Professor Flitwick was cool, and he fixed his vase first, earning 20 points for Slytherin.

The Great hall was even louder at lunch, as some people often skipped breakfast, and yes, some people skipped lunch, but not many. And the people of the "Art Club" were not those students. Their stomachs just couldn't take it.

As they sat at the previously Gryffindor table, there tore into their food eagerly and without reverence.

"And it was like, this huge," Sophie explained between mouthfuls, "Syringe thing and it stuck its nose thing in right my face, and it was so freakin scary."

"I don't really know what my worst fear is," Amara commented idly, tapping her pencil against her chin.

"Crap, well, we're gonna find out tomorrow," Mary mused, spearing a french fry with her fork, shuddering at the thought of next day's Defence AGainst the Dark Arts class.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad," Lorcan said, biting into his sandwich.

"Oh yeah? Then what were you afraid of Loraine?" Liza quipped, pointing her fork at the blonde.

"Oh, just creatures and plants that I haven't studied," He waved his hand dismissively, and Liza understood that he didn't want to talk about it. "And don't call me that."

The thought of meeting creatures that he hadn't already met in his books really did frighten Lorcan. The unfamiliarity of is all made him feel unsafe, because they could do anything to him, and he wouldn't know how to stop it.

"Astronomy was really fun though," Amara said, trying to reel the conversation in, as a lull had settled after Lorcan talked about his fears.

"Yeah, I agree, it's nice to just get lost in the stars," Lysander added, thankful that she was able to change the subject, as he felt that his twin was uncomfortable. He gave Lorcan a knowing look, and earned a wary smile in return.

"Do you think aliens exist?" Sophie said, having finished her meal.

"Totally, I mean, how could they not?" Amara looked up at the ceiling as she spoke, as if expecting an alien to descend from the fake sky of the great hall. Her friend all looked up with her, and they just stared.

It was comfortable.

Mary was excited. This was her first day time-turning, besides earlier in Mcgonagall's office, where she turned back two seconds, which didn't count. She was the only one of her friends taking 4 electives but she didn't mind. She had Advanced Herbology first, and would be traveling back one hour, straight after this lesson was finished so she could go to Ancient Runes.

She had this class with Amara, Rachel, Liza, Frank, Lorcan, and Lysander, which wasn't surprising. They entered the greenhouse, tingling with excitement as this was ADVANCED herbology.

Frank waved to his father, Neville Longbottom, who taught Advanced Herbology.

"Hello dad!"

Professor Longbottom grinned, showing off his cheekbones. "Hi Frankfurter!"

Frank flushed and lowered his head. "I told you not to call me that in school!" He said to his shoes, which were of course, dress shoes, as he didn't have the nerve to break the rules like his other friends did.

"Its alright, man, its not that bad," Rachel said, offering him a smile, which he returned, but only slightly.

"Oooooh look at all these plants!" Amara squealed as she skittered to each pot, bumping into over students in the process.

"Calm down Amara, goodness!" Liza called out to her friend, though it didn't deter her.

"Sheesh Mara," Rachel said, rolling her eyes.

"And the ones here are so civilized and cultured, uwah, they're so polite!" Amara continued, lightly patting a large, purple leaf.

"Geez, is she gonna-" Lorcan pointed at Amara, looking up from the plant he and his twin had been inspecting.

"-be okay?" Lysander finished.

"Probably not," Mary laughed, having known Amara for about two or three years now, she knew that plants really made her happy.

"Yup," Rachel Agreed, pushing a finger into some dark blue soil, which she quickly pulled out. "Plants are really her element."

Mary grinned at Rachel, who grinned back, understanding the reference to Amara's power. Liza overheard and giggled behind her hand. Frank stared at them, confused.

"Okay class!" Professor Longbottom called, clapping his hands. "Who's ready to meet some of these plants!"

At the end of class, Mary had to time turn back one hour so she could head to Ancient Runes. Lorcan also had Ancient Runes but he had had his time turner for a year now. After Lorcan stopped Mary from almost creating a paradox, Mary and Lorcan suddenly appeared by Sophie, who was staring at the wall.

"AHH!" Sophie said, jumping back. "What the fluffernuffs!"

"Time turners, remember," Mary said, shaking the chain around her neck. "Past me and Past Lorcan are in Advanced Herbology right now."

"Oh yeah! I don't have to use mine until tomorrow, thank cod," Sophie said. "So, Ancient Runes?"

"I read the whole textbook." Mary said, grinning proudly.

"What! When did you have the time?" Sophie.

"Sophie, Did you know that Amara stays up until, like, 4 or 5 in the morning? Well, she was there too." Mary sassed.

"Hold on to that sassafras Mary, you might pull something!" Lorcan quipped.

"Can we just walk in now?" Sophie gestured animatedly to the door.


	7. Mary Finds a Bigger Voice

It was Friday, and Charms had just ended. Sophie bounced on the balls of her feet, her ponytail swinging. It was Quidditch tryouts time. Yesterday had been the tryouts for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw and Mary had snagged the spot as announcer. Of course she did. She had a loud and fast voice that could keep up with the movements of the players, and she loved to talk . Liza had tried out for Ravenclaw Keeper and swept the spot from under all the other kids' feets. .

Rachel and Amara had Charms last too, so they walked with Sophie. Mary was probably already at the Quidditch Pitch, reading. Sophie didn't know how she got there though, as Potions was farther away from the Quidditch Pitch than Charms.

"Sophie McFreakin' Kim, slow down!" Amara exclaimed, trying to catch up. Her friend was going so fast she couldn't keep up.

"But I'm trying out for Beater!" Sophie said, abruptly stopping, and Amara crashed into her back.

"I'm trying out for Seeker but I'm not going that fast," Rachel said. "I went with Liza to the Ravenclaw tryouts yesterday. She wasn't going that fast either."

"Whatever," Sophie said as they headed outside. Amara sighed.

"I'm not going to try out, of course. But I heard that Asterion's captain."

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Isn't he a little young? I mean, now I wanna join more but, you know. How?"

"I don't think it really matters," Amara said as they stepped the Quidditch pitch. Mary waved at them from the top of the Teachers' Box, the wind battering her red hair. The top of her head was covered with a Hufflepuff beanie and she had a Hufflepuff scarf on. She would stand out from the Gryffindors and Slytherins trying out.

"HI GUYS!" Mary yelled, her voice amplified by ten times.

"Why are you so loud?" Amara asked, clutching her jacket because of the battering Scottish winds. The pages of her sketchbook started flapping. Amara quickly closed her sketchbook, sighing as she was really itching to finish that drawing.

"SONOROUS SPELL. SOPH, RACH, GO LINE UP WITH YOUR RESPECTIVE TEAMS. THE TRYOUTS ARE BEGINNING!" Mary said as she cleared her throat.

"Yeah, I know but you're way louder than McGonagall was on the first night! Jegus!"

"Gawd, Mary," Rachel said. "You're hurting my poor ears."

"Amara, if you want to, you can join me up here and draw the game." Mary waved her previous comment off dismissively, then gestured to the seat next to her.

Amara nodded, shooting two thumbs-up at Sophie and Rachel before climbing up the steps to the Teachers' Box. She sat at an empty spot next to Mary before taking out her pencils again and starting to sketch the Quidditch pitch.

Rachel lined up behind everyone else trying out for Gryffindor seeker. Birch Wood, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, was at the front staring down at the Slytherin team captain, Asterion. Sophie was right behind the blonde, in front of all the people trying out for Beater.

"Puny little wizards," Sophie scoffed "I took karate. You ain't takin' this spot from me. I shall judo-flip you into the sun!"

Asterion chuckled. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"Our team's gonna kick some butt!" James cheered. Fred pumped his fist in the air and kicked at it for emphasis. Amara, who had momentarily paused her drawing, shook her head at the two's antics. Mary tilted her head from side to side. Hufflepuff usually rooted for Gryffindor but two of her best friends were Slytherins. She guessed that she'd just root for both teams, she wouldn't be partial. Would that beanie be red and gold or green and silver? She could just get Amara to knit her one with both colors.

"Oh really, Potter? Ours is going to kick even MORE butt that yours." Asterion said, crossing his arms.

"JELLYFLUFFIN YAS!" Sophie shouted, raising her Beater's bat into the air. All the other people behind her struggled to lift the heavy metal bat.

"FLUFF YEA!" Amara raised both fists in the air.

"How are you carrying this so easily?" Sabrina Greenstone, a Slytherin 3rd year also trying out for beater, said to Sophie. She had struggled to lift up the Beater's bat and had placed the bat at her feet.

Sophie shrugged. "It weighs about half of my backpack. This is nothing!"

Mary chuckled. "Alright peeps. Happy tryouts and may the Bludgers be ever in your favor!"

"Now, first we are testing the Chasers. There's only one free Chaser spot on each team." Mary continued, her loud high pitched voice ringing throughout the area. "Our wannabe Chaser peoples are Gracie Noir, Pearl Zephyr, and Paisley Finch for Slytherin, and Annabel Carson, Felix Fortis, and Sean Thomas for Gryffindor. Whoever scores the most and bestest will be chosen. So, no foul play or I'll be forced to decapitate you and make ya join the Headless Hunt."

Everyone turned to look at her, a look of surprise and confusion on their faces. "I'm only joking. But seriously, I'm looking at you Slytherins."

Amara took offense to that. She turned to Mary and sent her a look, placing her hand on her chest like she was wounded.

"Hmph, I'm not being racist. But it's well known that Slytherins go to any means to achieve what they want. That's a good and bad thing."

Mary continued to narrate as the tryouts went on. Amara struggled to sketch every player zooming around the field. She'd just have to find out the thing that made wizard pictures move. She'd ask her art teacher later.

Gracie Noir, a Slytherin girl with long black hair and blue eyes, had scored 6/6 of her quaffles. Pearl Zephyr scored 4/5 and Paisley Finch scored 4/7. Felix Fortis, a blonde Gryffindor kid with brown eyes, had scored 7/7 of his. Annabel Carson scored 5/6 and Sean Thomas had scored 6/9.

"It seems that Gracie and Felix have scored absolutely perfectly. Good job childrens! It seems that the teams have made their pick! Sorry Pearl, Paisley, Annabel, and Sean. Don't worry and don't be sore losers. If you're a sore loser, you're a grapey pooper. I don't even know what that means!"

The audience chuckled. This new announcer was quite the odd type, but they liked her.

"WOOHOO! It's Beaters time, go kick some Bludger butt! If Bludgers have one. If they did it would be a plush rump! I think only Slytherin has a free Beater spot this year. GO KIMMY! KICK SOME BUM! Wait, I'm not supposed to choose favorites? WHO CARES!? GO BUDDY, GO!"

Sophie, Sabrina Greenstone, and a kid named Anthony Crabbe, soared into the air on their brooms. Floating mannequins had been set all over the field.

"Whoever gets the most Bludgers to hit the floating mannequins gets the spot!"

Sophie got at least 10 hits on the mannequins, and she had no mercy. Sabrina hit around 6. Anthony got 8.

"I believe it seems the team has made their pick?" Mary knew that the choice was obviously going to be Sophie.

"Mary, that shouldn't be a question. It's obviously-" Asterion started, looking up at Mary.

"ME!" Sophie shoved Asterion out of the way, grinning widely.

"Yeah, her," Asterion chuckled. She would be a handful.

"AND SLYTHERIN HAS CHOSEN THEIR BEATER! YEAH, KIMMY!" Mary shouted, getting up from her seat, join Sophie in jumping up and down.

"You are so lucky that Magic is holding this thing up, Mary," Amara quipped, but she was smiling, so she wasn't angry.

"Annnd SEEKERS!" Mary called. "IT's your turn! Go Racher!"

Rachel shot Mary a thumbs-up, grinning from ear to ear. Her long golden blonde hair was ruffled by the wind, even though it was pulled back by a ponytail.

The seeker-try outs cheered and mounted their brooms.

"Right! So what you gotta do is catch the snitch! Madam Hooch is gonna time you guys, and the fastest for each time will be chosen. Got that!"

They cheered again.

"Alright Madam Hooch! On your whistle!"

The teacher waved up to Mary, and opened the box that held the golden sphere. As it flew away, the teacher called the first student up, Kathleen Finnigan. Kathleen caught the snitch in 6.02 minutes.

Colin McLaggen went next. The crowd waited for around 5 minutes till he caught the sphere, and Kathleen pouted, arms crossed.

"And last but most CERTAINLY not the least, Rachel Van Culin!" Mary cheered as Rachel made her way around the quidditch field searching for the snitch.

In around 3.4 minutes, Rachel caught the snitch after a very dramatic dive on her broom. The Gryffindor Team erupted in cheers as they congratulated their new seeker.

"Jolly well done, Rachel!" Fred said thumping her on the back.

"Welcome to the team, small one." James said, ruffling her hair, earning a "watch it, donuthole," from Rachel.

"I'm not the small one. You're the one with the small brain ya buttface!" Rachel added, stomping her foot down on James's special Quidditch trainers.

"OW! Do your shoes have spikes on them or something?"

"Probably her nail clippings," Sophie added, shuddering. "Her fingernails are scare-y."

"You got that right," Rachel hissed, sticking her "claws" in James' face.

"Okay so to recap for y'all who forgot," Mary said to the audience. "The new chaser for Slytherin is Gracie Noir and the new Gryffindor chaser is Felix Fortis. The Slytherin beater is Sophie Kim and the Gryffindor seeker is Rachel Van Culin. GOOD JOB PEEPSOLS! Now, I'll see you random mango llamas on the first game of the season! Aka, in 2 weeks. Good bye and may the llama gods be ever in your favor. I would drop a mic now but I don't have one so...BOOM BABY!"

"Hold on!" Sophie said, panting as they made their way to the Room of Requirement. "I've got to change out of my quidditch robes."

"Same," Rachel, James, Fred, and Asterion chorused.

Mary sighed. "Fiinnnneeeeeeee. I've got to change out of the uniform anyway. I jelly beaning hate these robes!"

Amara nodded. "I'll go with Soph. We need to find Liza and the twins anyway."

Sophie, Amara, and Asterion headed for the Slytherin common rooms. Mary silently made her way to the Hufflepuff common rooms as none of her friends were in her house, well, besides her roommates. Fred and James raced all way up the Gryffindor common rooms with a sighing Rachel in tow, she was not going to try to keep up with them.

Mary went down the slide and pushed into her dorm room. Opening her trunk, she picked up her Echosmith Talking Dreams t-shirt, a denim jacket, and galaxy patterned leggings. She rushed to the bathroom and changed but kept on her Hufflepuff beanie as that was her precious. She hissed at herself in the mirror.

Sophie pulled on her baggy Sherlock "Excuse U" T-shirt and jeans. Amara gathered a very large brown and yellow striped sweater and ripped black jeans and flipped on a black snapback hat. With her lilac platforms on, she kicked the door open and changed. When they exited their dorm room, they found Asterion waiting for them in a dark green shirt, jeans, and black trainers, leaning against the wall.

"Nice shirt," He said to Sophie with a smirk on his face.

"Thank you!" Sophie replied, making the pose that was pictured on her shirt. Asterion chuckled and bowed his head as he laughed

Rachel wore a blue plaid shirt and jeans and braided her hair over her shoulder. And Fred appeared in a grey beanie and red flannel over a grey lion t-shirt, and jeans.

"Flannel buddies!" Fred said when he saw Rachel, offering her a fist bump, which she took.

"Bye Frankie!" Fred called over his shoulder, and Rachel waved.

"Mhm, b-bye, don't call me that. Please." The boy himself called back, but didn't look up from the book he was reading.

Liza emerged from her room in a robot-unicorn t-shirt and black jeans when she almost hit the wall behind her in shock. Amara and Asterion were leaning on the wall right outside of her door, while Sophie bounced eagerly on the balls of her feet.

"Finally, I swear to cod we were thinking about just going in," Sophie complained.

"Where are the twinsies?" Amara asked, and Asterion nodded.

"Down the stairs in the boys' dorms." Liza jerked her thumb down the stairs, and then sighing at the thought of joining down the all.

"What are ya waiting for then?" Asterion smiled and grasped the handle of the stairwell, and hopped on. Amara and Sophie did the same, and slid down, whooping.

Liza rolled her eyes and sat on the railing tentatively, and after a moment, let go, and slid down.

Asterion kicked open the twin's door. "Yo, twinsies!"

"Fina-bloody-ly -" Lorcan said, jumping up from his seat on his bed. The twin was sporting a grey cardigan and ripped jeans while his twin wore a cerulean sweatshirt and grey jeans. They both had their bangs pinned back with black bobby pins.

"Ast. We've been waiting -" Lysander tied his shoes.

"for an eternity and a half." Lorcan walked up to Asterion and ruffled his hair.

"Hey!"

"And what a party-" Lorcan continued, turning to the girls.

"We have here!" Lysander ruffled Liza's hair.

"Dude!"

They all met in front of the library again, so they could walk together to the Room of Requirement. Fred lead the way, with the girls taking up the rear.

"Guys! What do you think would happen if the Hogwarts guys met Tree, Dinni, Lexie, Rice Cakes, Llama-slash-Cheddar Lord, and Aido Tomato-slash-Danno?" Mary said.

"Met who?" James looked over his shoulder and stopped in his tracks, making Asterion bump into him.

"Who the -" Lysander stopped and looked at Mary

"bloody hell has -" Lorcan leaned on Lysander, his elbow braced on his twin's shoulder.

"names like those?"

"Our frying pans back home!"Liza answered for the boys.

"Well, I consider Odinn more of a pest than a friend," Rachel mumbled. Mary stifled a laugh.

They resumed walking.

"Tell us about em'" Fred suggested. "I wanna know what you muggles do and stuff."

Then the girls erupted into peals of laughter. Liza and Rachel were bent over, Amara was staggering, and Sophie and Mary were on the floor.

"Do you (a-ha) really (oh my fluffernuts) want to (I can't I just) (a-hahahaha) k-know?" Amara choked out.

"Yes!" Lysander threw his arms in the air.

"Oh my Merlin," Mary said, getting up. "You actually want to hear about the adventures of the crazy, stupid, absolutely insane Nerdkateers?"

"OF COURSE JUST SPILL IT, SISTA!" Fred screamed, waving his hands about.

"I th-think(gwaf) we should start with the sh-ships. Then they'll under(I'm so sorry but hahahaha)stand." Liza said.

"SODI-" Mary started to say but Sophie tackled her, making sure to cover the little girl's mouth with her hand.

"IT IS FORBIDDEN. THAT IS FLUFFING OVER AND YOU KNOW IT." Sophie hissed.

"Fine then. Sea Llama. Mattress."

Sophie smirked. "Peachhh Treeeee." She sang.

Mary grimaced. "Shut your face."

"What's a ship?" James asked. "What in Merlin's name is Peachtree?" He thought.

Liza gasped. "It is the center of all fangirling life! A ship is a relationship. People who are either together or people want them to be together. A ship name is usually the people's names or nicknames smashed together, or a nickname having to do with their personalities."

"Like?" Fred asked, enunciating the word.

The girls giggled. Then they started arguing about what ships to talk about. Most of them were sunken and forbidden to speak of.

"What is happening here?" Asterion asked.

"Lets start with Wolfstar. Think about it. Especially you James." Amara started, winking at her friends.

The they all thought about it, and then the twins pointed at James, going "oooooooo!"

"OH MY GOD!" Fred covered his mouth.

Asterion fell to the floor dramatically. "I'm dead."

"WHAT?" James through his hands in the air.

"It's obviously," Mary said, looking as if everybody should know.

"LUPIN AND SIRIUS!" The girls all shouted, dissolving into laughter again. "Well- (hha)- it (omfg)- isn't exactly (BWAHAHA)- canon." Mary said as she got up from the floor.

"M-mate!" Asterion clapped a hand on James's shoulder. "It all makes sense now!"

Fred and the twins were wiping tears from their eyes.

James was blushing, a lot. How could, but his great godfather! Well, he guessed it would've worked out, if he hadn't died. Or if Remus wasn't married to Tonks.

"Okay, Okay, we gotta get to the ROR or we won't get any candy." Asterion said, trying to calm everyone down, just a bit. But their laugh still echoed through the halls as they walked.

"What did you guys even do in your muggle schools? I suspect that it's probably a little boring because there's no magic. no, i don't suspect, I know!" Fred asked Amara sitting crosslegged behind her looking over her shoulder as she drew.

"A lot of weird things, actually," Mary chimed in, looking up from the random sketch she made of a Doctor Who OC. "It wasn't particularly boring, but I guess we just had weird friends."

"Yeah!" Sophie said, looking up from her cat drawings. "Like every reference we've made, all the hair wars, and constantly teasing each other pretty much every few seconds."

"Mhm," Liza added. "Don't forget the fabulous nicknames."

"And the constant fangirling going around," Mary piped.

"And the guys being idiots," Rachel said, rolling her eyes as she looked up from her very iflattering/i picture of Arabella Flint.

"So, what are their actual names?" Asterion asked., leaning into the circle that they had made. They were sitting on soft pillows."I mean, I don't think parents would name their child Rice Cake, at least, I hope not."

"Oh! Well," Rachel said. "Rice Cakes is Sam. Llama-slash-Cheddar Lord is Lee."

"Tree is Travis and Dinni is Odinn," Sophie tapped her pencil on her chin.

"Because Travis is a Tree and Odinn does not deserve to have the name of a god." Mary added.

"Aido Tomato-slash-Danno is Aidan. He's the Boy Who Lived, the second one." Amara didn't look up.

"'Cuz he was sick and missed like a year of school," Mary said.

"And Lexie is Alex," Sophie said "Ugh, I hate him, but ironically, because he isn't that bad anymore."

"Don't. He wants us to hate him so I don't because it annoys him. Reverse psychology, dude," Amara suggested idly.

"Whatever," Sophie waved her hand dismissively.

"Hey guys…" Amara said, slamming her sketchbook shut, a glint in her eyes.

"Ohmygosh Mara, no!" Liza covered her hands with her mouth.

"I haven't said anything yet!" Amara snapped, looking at Liza suspiciously.

"Oh, um, sorry," liza stuttered "Go on."

"As I was saying," Amara continued "Let's have a pick up line war!"

"Oh, merlin, no!" Mary said.

"Oh merlin, yes!" Fred's eyes lit up.

"Oh, come on! We had them all the time back at CCA!" Sophie argued.

"Yes, lets!" The twins agreed.

"I'm totally gonna win," James said, winking at the girls.

Liza shoved her face into the pillows to try and disguise her laughter, and Rachel shook her head, chuckling.

"Fine, tomorrow morning. I need time to prepare,"Mary said, flopping down onto the floor dramatically. Her short red hair a halo around her head.

"I'm gonna ace this!" James thrust his fist into the air.

"I wanna see you try, but I'm so smooth it's butter on a baby's bottom. You know I'm gonna kick butt." Asteron retorted.

"Oh, yeah!" Sophie taunted sticking her tongue out.

"Excuse you, okay, I'm the master of cool around here." Rachel said, crossing her arms.

"Hey! I'm gonna kick the most butt and you know it!" Amara chimed.

"Bloody hell, if I'm gonna let you guys win!" Fred added.

"You guys are all talk, you know I'm gonna rock this like it ain't even Paramore." Mary nodded as she spoke.

"Paramore is pop-punk not rock!" Amara corrected.

"Fine, like it's not even Fall Out Boy ." Mary suggested.

"Better." Amara went back to her drawing.

"You guys, I'm gonna-" James started.

"Sit down, dude." Asterion laughed.

James pouted in response. "Whatever, guys."


	8. James Becomes His Namesake

James grinned evilly. Today was the day of the pick up line war. He had so many Doctor Who pick up lines in store for them. No one stood a chance.

"FREDDIE WAKE THE BLOODY HELL UP!" James jumped on his cousin's bed, making the ginger boy fall off the mattress.

A muffled cry came from the pile of blankets on the floor,"I DON'T WANT TO!"

James sighed dramatically, like he was about to do something that he really didn't want to do, but it was for Fred's own good, Oh wait. He turned into his animagus form, a very large black dog with warm brown eyes and smooth fur. He jumped on top of Fred, again and promptly started licking his face.

"OH GOD. PADDY GET THE BEEPING JELLYWOBBLES OFF." Fred said.

The large dog barked before turning back into a human. "YOUR FACE, Oh my Merlin, your bloody face!"

"You have Sirius morning breath," Fred groaned, resting a hand on his head.

"That got old last year, Freddy Boy."

"WILL YOU GUYS SHUT THE HECK UP. I'M SLEEPING!" Sean Thomas said, his black curls more of a mess than usual.

"Oh please, James is only excited to get up so he has an excuse to flirt with Mary," Frank said, smiling. He was usually pretty shy but he'd known these boys for pretty much forever, so he didn't stutter. Their dads were friends after all, so he'd known them since before Hogwarts.

James jumped up. "I just had the most excellent idea!"

"What?" Frank asked, raising a red eyebrow.

"I, James Sirius Potter, shall become my namesake, but of course with my own little twist!" James pumped his fist in the air, grinning cheekily.

"Which one?" Fred asked, smirking.

"James, of course," James winked. "The best one of course."

"Oh, Merlin," Frank sighed. "I'm starting to feel scared for poor, poor Mary."

"Hey! How do you you know that she'd be the 'Lily'?" James asked.

"I think you'd better be," Fred sighed, ignoring James' comment. "Oh, Paddy, what have you gotten yourself into?"

"Alrighty then, Peepsols!" Mary said, clasping her hands together. "Let the pick up line war begin! May the spirit of Jack Harkness be ever in your favor!"

Sophie laughed. "Well, he didn't actually have any pick up lines. He was so good all he had to do was stare at something!"

"Or someone. It didn't matter to him. And don't talk in past tense! He was the Face of Boe, remember?" Mary stated, wagging a finger.

Rachel and James smiled. Ah, Doctor Who.

"Okie! Who's going first? It's not me!" Mary said, putting her hands up, as if to block any verbal attacks.

"Me!" James said immediately, raising his hand and waving it animately, before anyone else could volunteer. He coughed. "Are you a Time Lord? Because you have two hearts. Yours and mine." Mary swore she saw him send a quick wink in her direction. But the pick up lines weren't supposed to be aimed at someone specific. Must've been her imagination.

Mary, Sophie, Rachel, Liza, and Amara clapped. Whovians for life. "I'll go next," Mary said. "I don't need a Cheering Charm, I just need to be next to you."

Everybody went, "Ohhhhhh," And Mary blushed

"You always use that one!" Amara said. "I'm next. If you were a dementor, I'd become a criminal just to get your kiss." She snapped her fingers, and made double-pistols accompanied with a wink. Fred blushed slightly, because she had pointed in his direction, though he knew that. Amara looked at Fred out of the corner of her eye, and raised an eyebrow. Then her lips spread into a grin. He turned away quickly.

"Um I guess I'm next." Sophie said. She paused, tapping her chin with her finger in though. "Uhhhh. I give up, someone else go!"

"You're out!" Mary said, pointing at her friend with a grin. "Ast, go!"

"Oh alright." He started, pushing down his glasses. "Were you forged by Sauron? 'Cause baby you're precious." Ast said, copying James's usual cocky grin as he pushed his shades back up again.

This earned a clap from Sophie and a whoop, who was grinning like an idiot. "Oh. My. God."

"I can do better," Fred said, which earning a huff from Ast. "I don't know what Quidditch position you'd play but I sure know you're a keeper."

"Ohhhhhhh," Amara called, cupping her hands around her mouth.

Lysander was next. "Um, um. Let me think.. OH! Hey, feel my sweater! Guess what it's made of?"

Everyone groaned as Lysander spoke the last part. "Boyfriend material."

"Oh my god, really?" Liza said, but she smiled anyway.

"Alright, let me go," Rachel said, then hummed in thought. "Ah, yes. Did you survive _Avada Kedavra_ because you're drop dead gorgeous."

"OOhhhh!" Everyone chorused.

And so the pick-up lines continued until they all ran out of good ones, causing the war to fizzle out in a few minutes.

And since is was a saturday, and they had no classes James resumed his namesake quest.

"Fred! Ast!" James bounced, rocking the bed the boys were sitting on. After the pick-up line incident, they the club parted ways, to do whatever they did. The three of them had retrieated to Fred and James' dorm room, which happened to be empty.

"What _is_ it, James?" Asterion rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"I realized something earlier!"

"Mhm?" Fred hummed.

"Mary's hot."

"What." Fred and Asterion deadpanned in unison.

"I said th-" James started again.

"No, no, we heard you." Fred leaned forward with cross arms. "We're just in awe of how little time it took for you to get a crush on someone this year. Last time it was a month."

"Hush, red," James stuck his tongue out for punctuation. "All's fair in school and crushes."

"You made that up!" Asterion pressed both hands to his head, flopping back on the duvet.

"Doesn't matter. And I see you two judging me! What about Amara and, um, Sophie!" James retorted.

Asterion popped back up at the mention of Sophie's name, and Fred looked taken aback, and blushed.

"Yeah, see!" James pointed at the boys in front of him.

"There's nothing too, see! I don't get 'crushes!'" Asterion, crossing his arms.

"Y-yeah, and I mean, I've only know her for like, a week! I'm not you." Fred batted away James's finger.

"Mhm? Whatever, I saw you blushing whenever it was her turn in the pick-up line thing, and remember D-A-D-A, Asterion? Hmm?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Fred and Asterion lied in unison, but Asterion said it it monotone, well Fred mumbled.

"i _What/i_ ever. Anywho, back to my previous point, Mary's hot, and smart, and cool, and adorable, like a teddy-bear or something."

"Dude." Asterion said, shaking his head.

"Why us!" Fred called to the ceiling, asking the stars why he was friends with this kid. Probably because they were related but whatever.

"Help me." James said ignoring Fred's comment. The redhead and the blonde groaned. What the boys didn't notice was that Rachel and Liza were right outside the door as Rachel needed to fetch her jumper.

"Did you hear that?" Rachel asked Liza. "Or was that just me."

"Oh, I heard it! My shipping senses are tingling. This is just like Lames!" Liza gushed, clasping her hands together.

"Soooo Mary," Liza grinned as they entered the Hufflepuff common rooms. It was mostly empty so thats where the girls decided to stay there for the rest of day, or until they got bored. "Guess what we overheard?"

Rachel laughed and covered her mouth, fighting the urge to roll on the floor. "Heheheh."

"What?" Mary asked, tilting her head and closing her book.

"So James, Freddy Boy, and Ast were talking," Liza started. "And it seems James had this bloody gigantic crush on y _ou_. Like, a big unicorn fart rainbow fabulous _crush."_

"HAHAHAH!" Sophie laughed, bending over, and small tears falling from her eyes. It was like Peachtree all over again! Well, maybe not but still! "Oh. D-dear. Dear God!"

"Seriously?" Amara asked. Of course, it was quite easy to tell, James isn't what you would call _subtle_ , but Amara just couldn't believe that she had been right.

Meanwhile, Mary had dropped her book. Her brown eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. "Merlin."

"He's going to play it out like Lames apparently," Liza smirked.

"He has this big quest where he's going to become his namesake." Rachel said.

At what Rachel said, Mary smirked. "He wants to play it out like Lames, then I will too. Amara, help me summon the spirit of Lily Evans. Grab an Ouija board 'cuz we're gonna need some help."

Sophie grinned. "I mean, you've got the sassy redhead part down. I guess that'll do for now!"

"Wait, so you like him back?" Rachel asked, looking at Mary.

Mary cracked her knuckles. "Do pink fluffy unicorns with an obesity problem hop over nonexistent rainbows?"

Rachel tilted her head. "What?"

"That was a rhetorical question, of course I do!"

"First thing, jegus Mary that fast? Second thing, If he asks you out, which I know he's gonna do," Amara said "You gotta say no, and then you have to ask him out, some way some how."

"I don't think Lames canoned until 6th or 7th year," Mary mused. "If I have to wait that long then so be it. Maybe he won't be such an arrogant toerag by then."

Sophie laughed. "Murry, don't get your hopes up."

"The Sass Monstah Lily Evans Revival Redhead Extreme is in!" Mary cheered, pumping her fist.

"Mary, are you going to pick up your book," Amara said "A plant is trying to pick it up, and unless you want your reading material to be its next lunch..."

"Oh!" Mary exclaimed before bending over to pick up her book. "My precious TFIOS! Did that plantie hurt you?"

Amara sighed loudly which made her friends burst out into laughter.

"Mary," Liza said after regaining her composure. "If you read that book then you'll burst into feels-"

"-and then James can comfort her!" Rachel interrupted. "Keep reading Mary!"

The girls burst out into laughter again, Mary red faced and Sophie in a heap on the ground. Amara wiped a fake tear from her eye.

Meanwhile, Lorcan, Lysander, and Frank had decided to join James, Fred, and Ast in their dorm room.

"Where'd you guys get the password?" Fred asked as the three entered the room.

"Frank, duh!" The twins said in unison before high-fiving.

"But Frank always forgets it!" James said.

"Hey!" Frank protested. "I didn't forget it this time!"

"Good job, Frankfurter!" Fred commented, clapping his hand on Frank's back.

"Don't call me that," Frank mumbled, crossing his arms.

"Soooooo," Lysander said "Anything we missed while we attempted to look for the girls who are much less idiotic than you doofuses?"

"Other than the fact that James has the hots for Mary I don't think you missed that much," Fred said, shrugging.

"Oh, so he finally realized?" Frank commented, unsurprised.

"I knew it! You owe me 4 galleons!" Lorcan pumped his fist in the air.

"Whatever, how'd you even know that?" Lysander grumply shoved his hand into his pocket and dropped the coins into his brother's hands.

"Was I that transparent?"

"Apparently," Asterion sighed.

"Like water," Lorcan smirked.

It was finally lunch and the girls were tripping and laughing all the way to the great hall.

"Oh my Merlin," Mary said. "Do you think they noticed Rachel and Liza had heard?"

"Probably not," Liza said. "They might be smarter than the guys back home but they sure as poo aren't smart enough to notice us sneaking around!"

"You got that right," Rachel said, sassily flipping her golden hair.

Sophie was dragging herself across the floor, laughing her head off.

They were quite a weird sight as they entered the Great Hall.

Sophie got up and dusted off her Homestuck shirt. "Oh. My. God. I don't think I can even LOOK at the guys right now."

Mary huffed. "Well, I surely can." She walked straight over to the Gryffindor table, plopping herself right next to James.

"I. CAN'T. WATCH. THIS!" Sophie said, covering her eyes, Amara patting her back as the two went to go join Mary.

"Oh, hey Mary," James said, trying to look cool. It was obviously not working as Mary was fighting the urge to burst out laughing right then and there.

"Sup, Jamesies," Mary said, winking.

He looked taken aback. In fact, he was so taken aback that he fell off the bench.

"Are okay there, Potter?" Mary asked, poking at the fallen boy with her foot.

He got up and ran a hand through his hair. 'Dear God, he's doing the hair thing,' Mary thought.

"I'm perfectly all right, nothing happened. Like, at all," James said, adjusting his glasses.

"Oh good," Sophie said. "They were crooked. THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CROOKED."

"Um, so," James said, facing Mary. "Will you go out with me?"

That one sentence caused one hell of a commotion. Sophie was on the ground, shaking with laughter. Amara cried real tears. Asterion was shaking his head. Fred and Lysander were cheering James on. McGonagall clasped a hand over her mouth, terrified that the day had finally come when James Potter's spirit had finally come back to this school. Cries of, 'SAY YES' were heard throughout the Great Hall.

And then, Mary spoke the word. A word she'd have to repeat every single bloody hour of every day she was in this school.

"No." She smirked triumphantly, looking up at the boy who was very much taller than her.

"B-bu-but," James said. "I thought for sure that you liked me back."

"That's for me to know," Mary said, booping his nose "And for you to find out."

"Are you seriousl-," Asterion started, as he picked up the box.

"Well, that is my middle na-" James said, placing a hand on his chest.

"You know what we mean, hup!" Fred snapped as he hefted up another box, and turned around to face his friend.

"Of course I'm sure. Now come one." the raven-haired boy replied, swinging himself towards the door and walking out.

Fred and Asterion look at each other, and rolled their eyes.

Glitter was everywhere, and confetti decorated everybody's head. Small balls of fire spelled, _"iMary, Will You Go Out With Me?/i"_

" _What_ exactly made you think that it was sensible to set off _fireworks_ and _confetti_ cannons, of all things, in the great hall?" McGonagall deadpanned, leaning back in her chair, arms cross.

"Well, I thought that the dinner was a bit bland, and needed more spice?" James tried, shrugging.

"Really?" Asterion face palmed.

"Why are we here, Professor?" Liza asked.

"Yeah," The other girls chorused.

The older witch ignored their comment. "Chavez, if Potter is bothe-"

"Sorry to interrupt, Professor, but he isn't bothering me in the slightest!" Mary grinned cheekily.

James whipped his head around. "Really?" He said, hopeful.

"Well, it's hilarious watching you try," Mary shrugged. 'And it's quite adorable,' she thought. Liza let out a slight giggle.

"Well, if he isn't bothering you, then you girls are free to go," The witch waved her hand at the door. "But you three," She pointed at the boys. "You three have detention, see me tomorrow after you come back from Hogsmeade."

The boys groaned loudly, and left. The girls laughed all the way down the hall.

It was the day of the Hogsmeade visit. Mary, who, along with Amara, was extremely cold sensitive. How she wished she was in the Philippines with its 90 degree centigrade. Mary had mastered the clothing spell after a lot of practice. She magic-ed on a thick jumper with a kitten on it, thick black leggings, a polka dot beanie, and her thick boots. She grabbed her black bag, which had an Undetectable Extension Charm, and filled it with Galleons, books, her MP3 Player, and headphones.

Mary rushed out of the common room, heading to the dungeons to patiently wait for Sophie and Amara.

Amara walked out in a black _Daft Punk_ t-shirt over a grey long-sleeved shirt, under an oversized lilac _Egg_ sweater. Sophie struggled to pull a Witch of Light sweater over her head as she tied the laces of her combat boots. She was wearing the jeans she had splattered with jade paint, her blood color.

"Sup peeps," Mary said. "We gotta head to the Great Hall and find Liza and Rach."

"Hogsmeade time! I WANT BUTTERBEER!" Sophie said, grinning like a crazy person.

"SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS," Amara yelled, thrusting her sketchbook in the air.

"EVERYBODY," Sophie screamed in response.

Mary laughed, her bag jingled, filled with books and money.

The trio made their way to the Great Hall, searching for their friends.

"RACHER!" Mary squealed. "LIZA!"

"Murry!" Rachel said, waving. "I like your sweater." She pointed at the tuxedo cat drawing that was sprawled across her sweater.

Rachel wore wearing a short green coat, knee-high riding boots, light brown pants, and black leather gloves.

Liza wore an oversized sweater (her trademark) with an owl on it, sea foam green skinny jeans, and boots. She grinned, putting a plethora of charms around her neck to protect herself from all the nargles.

"SO FABULOUS!" Liza said, flipping her hair.

Rachel, Mary and Liza linked arms. "We're off to see the Wizard, the fabulous Wizard of Unicorn Farts."

"Thats not even-" Lorcan said, interrupting the girls conversation.

"-The song." Lysander deadpanned.

"WE DON'T CARE! (IT IS NOW!)" the girls yelled in unison.

"Dear sweet candycorns, my ears!" Asterion complained, appearing in the doorway.

"STUDENTS!" The Headmistress said. "It is time to head outside to Hogsmeade! File in."

"Nice cat sweater," James commented, looking at Mary. "Soooooo, d'you want to get some butterbeer?"

"Sorry, no, I'm roaming around with Soph and Mara," Mary smiled, genuinely having an excuse this time. "I heard there was a new bookstore opening and I wanted to check it out."

James sighed and did the hair thing. "Oh, alright." He walked away, to join Fred and Ast.

"Aw, you let the poor child down," Sophie said, patting her friend on the shoulder.

"That's the plan, remember?" Mary said, smirking.

The two girls nodded, heading outside the door.

Mary gasped in awe as she, Sophie, and Amara entered the new bookstore. It was called _Florilegium_ and smelled like cinnamon, flowers, and old books. The walls were a robin's egg blue and bookcases of all different kinds of wood stood against each wall.

Sophie grinned and picked up a book about costume making that was on display. Amara leapt for joy when she found wizard manga that the wizarding school in Japan had sent.

"They. Have, Manga." Amara squealed. "I can't breathe, THIS IS AMAZING!"

Mary twirled and breathed in the air of the bookshop. She wandered to the corner of the shop, a rack of wizarding murder mysteries catching her eye.

"Oh my god," Mary breathed out. "The Mermish Murders. The Dragonian Killings. That. Looks. So. Bloody. Amazing!"

"Oooh," Amara said, looking over Mary's shoulder to peep at the books she was staring at.

"I need to get these books!" Mary said, checking the price. "OMG. I DON'T CARE IF IMMA WASTE ALL MY MONEY IN ONE GO, BUT I NEED THESE BOOKS."

She clutched the books to her chest and started exploring the rest of the shop.

James had trailed Mary, peering through the bookshop window as the girl marveled at all the books,.

He had dragged Ast and Fred along with him too, the other two boys groaning and complaining the whole time.

"Paddy," Fred complained. "You are SUCH a bloody stalker."

Ast nodded, glaring at the Potter boy.

"OH COME ON," James huffed. "Don't pretend that you don't like stalking Sophie and Amara."

Ast spoke in monotone. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Fred blushed **.** "Shut up James! They might hear us. And why would I like that?!"

Liza shouted from behind them. "I heard that! Now I am going to tell them!"

Liza ran into the bookstore, Rachel followed after Liza, laughing her head off.

The boys ran and hid behind the building. Rachel and Liza didn't really tell the girls, but they shot eyebrows at the boys when every they saw them. They replied with questioning looks when they did.

James would never give up. He strode into the store with his friends in tow. He went straight up to Mary, looking her in the eye and smiling a cocky smirk. "If you were a dementor, I would become a criminal to get a kiss from you."

Mary stared at him, her smile growing, Her smile dropped into an evil grin. She slapped him as hard as her tiny hands could muster.

"OW! What was that for," James complained, rubbing the red spot on his cheek. Mary smiled, " For being you, and also that stupid pickup line,which you stole from Amara."

"Snap!" Amara called. And They all, sans James, who was red-faced, dissolved into peals of laughter.


	9. Three Birthdays & Sophie Nearly Explodes

**_Chapter 6: In Which There are Three Birthdays and Sophie Nearly Explodes_**

Liza woke up, stretching and yawning. It was 6:30, which was very early for her, especially on a Saturday. As she wondered why she woke up so early, it dawned her that today was her birthday. 'SEPTEMBER. FRIGGIN. SEVENTEENTH' She thought. Everybody else in her dorm was asleep, and she figured that everyone else in Ravenclaw was asleep as well, so she got out of bed, dragging her owl patterned blanket behind her to sleepily trudge into the common room. Settling herself in her favorite squishy armchair, she sat down in her pajamas patterned with dinosaurs and cats and read the newest editions of the Quibbler, which she got yesterday in the Owl Post but she hadn't read yet.

After about half an hour of quiet reading, she heard a voice behind her.

"It's your birthday, and the first thing you do is decide to read? I mean, I totally get it, but wouldn't you rather help me wake Lorcan up and have a dance party?" said Lysander as he plopped himself down in the armchair beside her.

"Oh, and happy birthday by the way." Lysander said with a grin.

"Thank you, Sandra. Now let's go wake Lorcan up and have a dance party!" Liza said with a grin.

"Don't call me Sandra." said Lysander with a smile.

"Ok, Sandra, whatever you say. But why were you up at this hour anyways?" Liza asked.

With a sigh, accepting his new nickname, Lysander answered, "I'm doing an experiment and I had to water my plants."

"Oh, ok. LAST ONE TO YOUR DORM IS A ROTTEN UNICORN TURD!" Liza whisper-yelled and ran off to the boys dorm, Lysander right behind her. They arrived at nearly the same time, though Liza is was bit faster.

"Now, how should we wake him up?" wondered Lysander.

"Well, I was thinking, he's used to seeing you in the morning, but not me. Would it scare him if I woke him up?" Liza said.

"You're a genius!" replied Lysander with a grin, plopping himself down on a chair to watch.

"Watch and learn, Sandra." Liza said.

Thinking about the situation for a second, she quickly came up with a plan. She whispered something in Lysander's ear, and he quickly nodded and grinned. She crawled into bed with Lorcan and lay down next to him. "Wake up, sleepyhead." Lorcan's eyes shot wide open.

"WHY ARE YOU IN MY BED?!" Shrieked Lorcan, just as Lysander hit him in the face with a pillow.

"By the way, Lorcs, that's what she said." declared Liza, just before receiving a high-five from Lysander and doubling over in a fit of giggles on the floor.

When everybody settled down, Lorcan finally said, "Don't call me Lorcs, and happy birthday by the way."

"Thank you, Lorcs!" Liza beamed. This earned her a face full pillow that came from Lorcan, which Liza sent flying in Lysander's direction. This started a full-out pillow war, and when the last pillow burst with feathers, the pillow war finally ended.

"How old are you turning?" Lorcan asked Liza out of curiosity.

"13." She answered while mending a pillow with a spell.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be turning 14?" he asked.

"I skipped a grade of muggle school," Liza replied.

"I didn't know you could do that.." piped in Lysander.

"Oh sure.. people do it all the time," Liza said, repairing the last pillow. "And by other people I mean Mary."

"Sandra, you promised me a dance party. I don't see dance party going on here." said Liza, waving her arms around the room.

"Is the dance party under this pillow?" Liza deadpanned, lifting up a pillow and glancing under it.

"Maybe I'm sitting on the dance party?" said Liza as she got up and looked around.

"Nope, not there. We need a dance party Sandra. I'm going to go get my computer so I can show you my favorite muggle songs. Have you guys ever heard muggle songs?" Liza asked.

"Nope," the twins responded in unison.

"Ok, I'll be right back." said Liza.

When she came back in the room, she found the boys in the middle of a pillow fight. Of course, she should have known. Rolling her eyes, she set her computer up and opened an app that brought music.

"Do you guys know the wifi password?" she asked.

"Wifi? What's wifi?" they asked as they stopped their fighting.

"Nevermind, I'm going to go ask Professor McGonagall real quick."

"Wearing that?" replied Lysander in his best valley girl accent.

"Yeah, why not?" Liza giggled.

Putting her blanket on as a cloak, she exited the common room and pretended to be a superhero, leaping from staircase to staircase and over the trick steps, whispering "Parkour" under her breath.

When she finally made it to McGonagall's office, she realized that there were two problems. First of all, was 7:30 AM, so McGonagall might not be up yet. Second of all, Liza didn't know the password to the office. When she was about to give up and go ask a prefect the wifi password, when an idea struck her. "Hey, uhhh, do you know the password to the office?" she asked the nearby painting, which she had awoken with her footsteps. The painting featured a figure in armor sitting under a tree reading, which Liza thought was strange painting but decided not to question it.

The figure looked up from its book and took off its helmet. The figure turned out to be a woman with long caramel-ginger hair and warm brown eyes. "Yeah sure, the password is the mathematical concept of pi to the tenth digit. Do you know it or should I tell you?" asked the woman. "Hold on, I think I read this in a book somewhere."

Liza closed her eyes and tried to remember the numbers as she spoke very slowly and carefully. "3.14...1….592...6…?5…?3… aaaand 5?" Liza finally said. "Correct! You may now enter!" said the woman as the stone gargoyles moved aside and a staircase was revealed. "Thank you!" Liza called out to the portrait as she gingerly took a step into the winding staircase.

The staircase was circular the type you see in old castles, and the walls were close together so that the widest point of the room was about three feet wide, which was a bit of problem for Liza as she was a bit claustrophobic, but now was no time to to be a scaredy weenie, so she quickly went down the staircase to get it over with.

When she finally got down to the office, and she saw McGonagall in her chair, signing papers. "Uhhh, hi Professor McGonagall." Liza said as the headmistress looked up. "Oh hi, you're up early aren't you?" asked the professor, smiling at Liza's outfit choices. "Oh, uhh, yeah. I was wondering, what's the wifi password?" she asked nervously. "Wifi?" asked the headmistress, looking at Liza over her glasses, confused for a second, before she quickly realized. "Oh wifi! Yes, the password is pi to the tenth digit. I'm sure you would have no problem with that…" said the headmistress, an amused glint in her eye.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall." replied Liza with a nervous smile as she turned to leave. "No problem." said the headmistress, returning to her papers.

"I'm back!" Liza sang as she plopped herself down on a chair in front of Lysander's desk and set her laptop down. She glanced over at the boys, surprised to find that they weren't having a pillow fight, but they were, in fact, reading. They looked at her over the top of their books, staring at her computer. Setting down their books, they walked over to it and started pressing random buttons, curious as to what they did. Liza, holding back her giggles, turned on the power button, and the twins lept back, scared of what it would next. "It's ok guys. It won't hurt you. This is technology." she explained. "Do you guys have an electric outlet in here?" she asked, as her battery was kind of low.

Lorcan pointed to an electric outlet on the wall. "Is that it? 'Cause we've been wondering for 4 years what that thing was. "Don't stick any sort of metal in it or you'll regret it," He stage-whispered behind his hand. Liza laughed at this, and replied with "Don't stick your fingers in it either."

"This is what it's used for." demonstrating the use of it, she plugged her charger in, and plugged the other end into her computer. "This electricity comes from the socket and into my computer, and it makes my computer work." explained Liza. "Ohhhh! That's cool! Just one question…" said Lysander. "What is 'electricity'?" he asked.

"It's what makes technology work." she replied. Before the twins had anymore time to ask any more questions, she said "We need to get this dance party started! I'll find a book about techn for you guys later."

She clicked a few things on her computer and played Fall Out Boy's songs. "This is my favorite muggle band! Their name is Fall Out Boy." she explained.

After about half an hour of dancing, Liza's stomach rumbled. "Are you guys hungry?" she asked the twins as she paused the music. "Totally! Should we go to breakfast?" said the twins in unison.

"I have a better idea." replied Liza with a mischievous grin. "I'm going to get food from the kitchens and bring it up here. We can have a birthday feast!" she declared. "You guys wanna come with?" she asked as she pulled on her socks and discarded her blanket cape. Lysander's face suddenly lit up and he whispered something in Lorcan's ear. "No, it's okay, we'll stay here." said Lorcan as a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Okay.. I'll be back soon. Try not to miss me too much!" she said in a sing-song voice as she exited dramatically. Popping her head back in, she quickly said "Oh, and if you guys want to use my computer you're welcome to do so."

After 15 minutes of leaping from staircase to staircase and doing "parkour", she finally reached the kitchens. Being a dedicated Harry Potter fan, she knew exactly how to get into the kitchens. She tickled the pear, and the painting swung aside to reveal a giant kitchen, bustling with house elves. One of them immediately came up to her. "What can Toodles we help you with, miss?" asked the elf in a squeaky voice. "Ummm, can I have three servings of breakfast and one or two bowls of popcorn? Oh and some tea please." said Liza. "Certainly! Toodles is delighted to help!" replied the elf with a giant grin.

A few minutes later, a group of four house elves bustled over to her, carrying the food. "Umm, would you guys mind helping me carry thing stuff to my dorm?" she asked them. "Not at all miss!" replied the elves.

After 15 minutes of travelling, the group finally arrived at the entrance to the dorm room. "It can be seen but not touched and has no weight, and if you put it in a barrel it makes the barrel lighter. What is it?" asked the door. "A hole." said Liza, barely containing her giggles because her mind was in the gutter.

The elves scurried towards after Liza as Liza lead them towards the twins' dorm. "Thank you guys! Bye Toodles! Bye Toodles's friends!" called Liza after the elves as they left. "No problem miss!" chorused the house elves.

"I'm back guys!" said Liza. The twins looked up from the computer, and Liza was surprised to see a third boy in between them, aggressively typing, not even bothering to look up from the computer. "Uhhh, hi?" the statement came out as more of a question, which she aimed at the third boy. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the boy finally stopped typing and looked up.

"Hi. I'm Memphis, but you can call me Phis."

"Cool name, I'm Liza."

"I know, I've heard a lot about you." drawled Memphis, a wicked glint in his eyes, as Lysander studied the floor sheepishly and Lorcan laughed.

"I'll be leaving now. Happy birthday!" said Memphis as he stood up. "Ok. Bye Mems." said Liza.

"Don't call me that." replied Memphis.

"Ok Mems." Liza teased as she sat down between the twins.

"She has a knack for coming up with embarrassing nicknames, Mems." said Lysander.

"It's true. Lysander is Sandra and Lorcan is Lorcs. And you're Mems." giggled Liza as Memphis left.

"So, what were you guys doing on my computer?" asked Liza. "Check the wifi." replied Lysander with a grin.

"Okaaaay?" said Liza, raising an eyebrow at the strange request.

"OMG YOU GUYS THANK YOU SO MUCH!" shrieked Liza, almost dropping her computer in her excitement. The wifi network was now named "LizaIsAwesome", instead of its previous name, "Hogwarts Wifi". "We kept the password the same, though." said Lorcan. "THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!"

"No problem."They replied, waving their hands like it was nothing.

"Now on with the feast!" declared Liza. "I got three servings of breakfast, two bowls of popcorn, and some tea. It's not exactly a feast, but it's food." said Liza. Lysander reached under the bed and pulled out a few bottles of butterbeer.

"Anyone want butterbeer?" he asked. Automatically Liza and Lorcan yelled "I do!" at the same time. "Oooh can I have the corks for-" Liza exclaimed, "Butterbeer necklaces?" interrupted Lysander with a smile.

When the trio finished eating, Liza decided to teach the twins about muggle stuff. When she connected to the wifi, she looked at the new wifi name and laughed. ""G-Guys look!" Liza exclaimed as she pointed to the screen. The new wifi name was now "GryfindorIsTheBest5Evah". A few minutes later, the wifi name was changed to "SlytherinRulesGryffindorDrools".

After the trio was done giggling, Liza showed the twins various muggle stuff, including video games, football, soccer, school, anything they were curious about. At around noon, the wifi went out again, and returned a few seconds later. This time it was named "HufflepuffRocks". Once again, the three burst out in giggles.

Liza showed the twins a muggle movie called "The Fault in Our Stars", during which all of them cried, though Lysander claimed "his eyes were sweating" and Lorcan said "he had a bit of depressing movie in both his eyes".

At the end of the movie, the three were bored, and tried to come up with things to do. Finally, Liza decided to finish what was started. "Guys, I'm going to change the wifi name again."

"Are you sure? It's an awfully complicated process…" replied the twins, doubt evident in their voices.

"Watch and learn." said Liza, cracking her knuckles.

About half a bowl of popcorn and a few aggressive typing sessions later, the wifi name was changed to "PinkFulffyJellybeanDinosaurs", courtesy of Liza.

"How do you know how to do that?" asked Lysander and Lorcan in amazement.

"Videogames, determination, and the internet. Oh and YouTube. You can learn how to do anything via YouTube." Surprisingly, after that, the wifi name wasn't changed. Maybe it was because everybody liked the new name, or people were too lazy to hack it again, but the name stuck. Maybe McGonagall hadn't noticed, or if she did, she was good at pretending she hadn't.

Mary grinned as she shot awake. It was her bloody birthday. October Bloody Eight. She had awoken so early that none of her roommates were awake. Mary hurriedly dressed in her school robes and brushed her hair hastily. After a few months, the bright reddish color had faded to a warm cinnamon.

She tiptoed out of the dorm room, careful so not to wake Alice, Dom, and the others.

She quietly climbed up the slide. The stairs were only open from breakfast time to the end of curfew so students couldn't sneak out. Unfortunately for the school planners who thought that kept people from sneaking out, Mary could easily climb up the slippery slide as long as she had no socks on, like now.

Mary headed for the dungeons to wait for Sophie and Amara to wake up. For once, she wasn't wearing a beanie (though she still had one in her backpack). Mary took her socks and shoes from her backpack and hastily put them on.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Sophie screamed, tackling Mary the moment she noticed the small girl.

"Happy Birthday, Mary," Amara said, affectionately patting her friend on the head.

Sophie's birthday would be coming soon. In exactly three weeks, in fact. Liza's birthday was the first of the year (September 17th) and then Mary's (October 8th). Even though their birthdays were the first ones of the group, both of the girls (Mary and Liza) were the youngest, as both of them had skipped a grade. In fact, today she would be turning thirteen. 'finally!" she thought.

"Welcome to being a teenager," Sophie said, amiably wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Mary," Amara said. "I'm kind of scared to see what James will do today since it's your birthday."

Mary nodded, taking out her book,The Dragonian Killings, so she could hide herself on the way to the great hall.

The trio entered, Mary had her head stuck in the book as they approached the Gryffindor table. The Owl Post was coming today as it was a Thursday. Mary wondered about what her parents got her this year.

Mary plopped down in her regular seat which was almost always next to James. Mostly because she loved to annoy him whenever he asked her out and she said no. It was like a hobby.

"'Morning," Mary said, humming an Ingrid Michaelson song, swinging her legs back and forth.

James turned to her, a glint in his eyes, "Why hello, birthday girl!" There was a chorus of 'Happy Birthday's from the rest of their friends.

Mary put her hands up. "Okay, who told these idiots that it was my birthday."

"IT WAS HER!" Liza said, pointing at Rachel. "SHE TOLD THEM YESTERDAY NIGHT."

"What! Noooo," Rachel said, laughing nervously. She waved her hand dismissively. "I didn't do it. Not. At. All. Pshhhh."

"Guys, shut it," Mary said, "The owl post is coming! My parents said I'm getting this present from one of my Titos."

James tilted his head. "Tito?"

"It means Uncle but he's not really my uncle."

'Oh', was James's last thought before a bunch of owls carrying packages dropped off three heavy looking packages and a letter at the Gryffindor Table.

"Woah," Sophie said. She punched Mary's shoulder. "Stop gawking and just open it."

Mary opened the first package, the smallest one. The wrapping paper was like confetti all over the table after she tore into it. Good thing there was no food yet. Mary would've gotten paper all over the eggs and bacon.

"OH MY GOD!" Mary squealed, holding up one of the two folded clothing items. The first was a shirt with a drawing of Nutella. The other clothing item was a sweater with HIGH FUNCTIONING FANGIRL in large block letters.

Mary hugged the sweater to her chest and breathed in the new clothes smell.

Sophie threw the next box to Mary. It was the middle sized one. It didn't hit Mary but it plopped right in front of her, narrowly missing her face.

It contained something Mary wasn't expecting. Mary didn't think her parents cared about her Redbubble wishlist. All the fluffy scarves that Mary liked from the shop were in there. Only scarves. Fluffy gigantic SCARVES. If you spread them out, you could make out a picture on a large, thin piece of cloth.

"Wow. Just. Wow." Amara said, shaking her head.

Sophie reached out to touch a scarf, yelping as Mary swatted her hand away. "Hmph. Meanie."

Mary grabbed the last one. It's contents made her faint. Faint right into James, who caught her with a look of surprise that suddenly became a grin.

"OH. MY. GOD." Mary said, breathing heavily. "I. CAN'T. FUNCTION. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS."

Her Tito had gotten hardcovers of every John Green book, autographs included. The Fault In Our Stars even had a Hanklerfish, an Anglerfish drawn by a Hank Green. Mary was going to give her old John Green books to Sophie and Amara. Nothing compared to these new i _autographed/i_ copies.

"Is she okay?" James asked, looking at the girl.

"I don't think she can function anymore," Rachel said, looking at the girl. "She's broken."

"Not after that present," Sophie said, staring at the books in awe. "James, be prepared. These books unleash a lot of feels. A lot."

"Bugger off Potter. Did you get me a present?" Mary asked, turning to face the raven-haired boy.

James looked off into the distance, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. "If you hug me, I'll give you the presents I got for you."

Mary eyed him warily. "As long as that present isn't anything like a kiss or something then I guess I'll just have to hug you."

Sophie squealed. 'SHIPPIE. SHIPPIE. SHIPPIE,' She screamed in her head.

Mary wrapped her tiny arms around James's neck. He smelled like cinnamon. Why the bloody hell did he have to smell like one of Mary's favorite smells? Mary pulled away.

"You got what you wanted," Mary said, crossing her arms. "Now please give me my present."

James grumbled. "Fine." He took out a blue box and handed it to Mary. It was a miniature TARDIS. Suddenly, it started to make the whooshy sound and it floated, though not too far from Mary.

"Woah," Mary said, refusing to look James in the eye. "I-um, don't know what to say."

"Maybe you could start with 'thank you'?" James suggested.

"Yeah thanks, James," Mary mumbled, her face a bright shade of red.

James smiled in triumph. 'She actually likes it!' He thought.

"Mary, me next!" Sophie cheered, shoving an envelope in her hands.

Mary ripped open the paper and stared in awe of the drawing.

"We figured out how to make the pictures move, so, I drew a map of the Philippines. It has little earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, and stuff. Of course its not current or anything, so if there's a tsunami, it's not _actually_ happening, at least, I don't think that it is." Soph explained.

"SOPHIE I LOVE IT OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH!" Mary cried, running around the table. She hugged Sophie tightly.

"Youre welcome friend," Sophie said, hugging her friend back.

When Mary finally let go, which she didn't for a long time until Amara, Liza, and Rachel grew impatient, Amara tossed a roll of parchment to Mary.

"Open it," Amara instructed, and Mary complied. When she opened it entirely, she gasped.

"H-how did you even?" Mary covered her mouth as she gazed into the "glass" on the paper. The portal was framed by drawings of plants, accompanied with labels, stating their names. There was a large white box under the frame.

"Well, I had a lot of help from my art teacher, and Mr.L- I mean _Professor_ Longbottom, I," Amara looked at her shoes. "It's basically a plant identifier. You just look through the viewing portal at the plant, and the plants name will show up in the box."

"AMARA THAT IS AWESOME!" Mary hugged her friend tightly in thanks.

"Okay, okay, your welcome!" Amara laughed, playfully shoving her friend off. Suddenly a something was being placed on her head, and she felt a large wave of warmth.

Mary groped at the space above her, finally catching thick, fluffy fabric. "What the he-What's on my head!"

"A beanie! That's what they're called right?" Fred exclaimed, looking at her.

"Why? I mean, I love beanies, but why are you putting it on?" Mary asked.

"Because it's Fred and mine's present!" Asterion patted Mary's shoulder and adjusted the hat.

"You two made that?" Amara and Sophie asked in unison, their eyes almost sparkling.

"Yup!" The two boys confirmed.

"Would you be willing to help us sew stuff?" Sophie inquired, inspecting their work, looking at it from all angles and occasionally poking at the small stitches.

"Depending on what it is, yeah." Astrion said, nodding. Fred flashed thumbs up.

Amara and Sophie slapped palms. "COSPLAY!"

"Woww," Rachel sighed.

"Anyways, here's our present." Liza said, handing Mary a stuffed unicorn toy and a stuffed badger toy. Both of the toys started to prance across the table. "And yes, we made those too, but with some magical help."

"Thanks you guys!" And somehow, Mary managed to hug all four of them at once.

"You're welcome," They chorused.

Mary grinned.

Sophie woke with a start. It was her birthday, which meant that she was so excited that she woke up before Amara. She looked beside her, and saw Amara sleeping, emitting small, quiet sounds. It wasn't often that she saw her sleeping, as she often went to bed late and woke up early.

"Mara-chan, Mara-chan wake up," She whispered prodding her friend.

Amara rolled over, clutching her pillow, but she didn't wake up.

"Fine, be that way, I'm going on a walk." Sophie huffed, magicking a small note on Amara's sketchbook, and wrote down where she was going, so Amara wouldn't worry.

"Bye," Sophie murmured, silently opening the door. Amara mumbled in her slumber, Sophie decided to take that as a "good bye".

Sophie snuck out through one of the secret exits that Fred told her about, which led outside. The tunnel smelled wet and the walls were slippery. She could hear creatures moving around her in the lake. She emerged from a large hollowed out tree.

She traced a hand along the bark, then grabbed a branch. Her foot hooked around another branch, and she pulled herself up te trunk. In a minute, she had climbed near to the top of the tree and had seated herself on a sturdy thick branch.

As she looked out at the few stars that were left in the sky, she became lost in a sea of thoughts. The something that she had put off thinking about resurfaced, and she nearly fell out of the tree.

"Oh, cod, Oh cod," She whispered, remembering that since today was the 29th, that Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be coming tomorrow. She wasn't to nervous, but she had neglected to prepare her dorm room, and so had Amara. She cursed at herself, and vowed to wake her friend the heck up so they could clean the dorm room.

"Watch your language," A voice laughed from below. She lifted her eyes, and saw Asterion looking at her, standing at the base of the tree.

"Dude, I will fall out of this thing if you do that again," Sophie called down.

"Mhm," the boy hummed as he started to climb the tree. Sophie whistled an impatient tone, as if he was taking an impossibly long time. In reality it was only a couple minutes.

"Finally!" She sighed, tapping her wrist.

"I'm not a monkey like you," Asterion teased.

"Yeah, but I'm not a sloth like you," Sophie retorted.

"Touche,"

"iDouche/i, so, what brings you to this tree?"

"Eh, just wanted to get away from my crappy roommate,"

"Ah,"

"You?"

"Just wanted to contemplate turning fourteen and stuff," She waved her hand to punctuate her sentence.

"Oh, yeah, it's your birthday!" Asterion remembered.

"Yup,"

"You're getting your present later,"

"Aww,"

"Deal with it,"

"Hey, Soph,"

"Yup?"

"Wanna be matesprits?"

Sophie was stunned, her face flushed.

"D-do, do you even know what a matesprit is?"

Asterion tapped his chin, "Well you and Amara explained quadrants to me, it's the red one right?"

"You're...correct, but um, still?"

Asterions face grew red. He had just realized what he had said.

"Aw, man, did I say that out loud? J-just, just ignore it."

"Nah, I w-won't," Sophie smiled.

"W-what?" His hands moved frantically, losing his grasp on the branch. Sophie grabbed his shoulders. "We had a 'trust-fall' stage."

"Yeah, thanks."

"And I'd be willing to fill that quadrant."

Asterion's face lit up, and Sophie luaghed.

"What the heckie?" Amara called up to them.

"How did you get here!" Asterion asked, frantic again. 'Had she heard?" He thought.

"MARA! JEGUS, I ALMOST DIED!"

"SOPHIE AND ASTIE SITTING IN A TREE, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, FIRST COMES-"

Sophie scrambled down the tree, with Asterion in tow, and trapped Amara in a playful headlock.

"You butt!"

Amara laughed as Sophie rubbed a fist in her hair and Asterion grinned at his new matesprit and her moirail.

Sophie, Amara, and Asterion were surprised to find Mary sitting in the dungeons waiting for them. She held a box in her hand, probably a present for Sophie.

Mary, seeing Asterion and Sophie walking much closer than they ever had before, looked at Amara, then to the the couple, and back to Amara in confusion. Then, it finally dawned her.

Gasping, Mary jumped up and started yelling, "DID THEY- THEY DID- FINALLY OMG YESSSSS MY DREAMS HAVE COME TRUE!"

"Shhh Mary! You're going to wake the whole castle." Sophie laughed, a gigantic grin lighting up her face.

After Mary was finished having her fangirling session, she handed Sophie the box she was holding. Sophie hastily unwrapped the paper and bow on the box. She read the handwritten note inside of it:

 **Hi Sophie,**

 **HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you like, no LOVE, your present (just like you love Asterion *insert winky face here*) Unfortunately, I could not get you a llama-unicorn hybrid as a pet, but I did get you some coloring pencils that make the pictures you draw move, and that's kind of the next best thing.**

 **Love, The Queen of Sass, AKA Mary**

Now, it was Sophie's turn to freak out.

"MARY CHAVEZ YOU DIDN'T OH MY COD THIS IS AMAZING OMG OMG OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"

After a lot of unsuccessful tries of calming Sophie down, including chocolate bribery and threats, Asterion just hugged her, which immediately did the trick. Mary fangirled in her head, but eventually her curiosity started poking out.

"So, how did this whole thing happen?" She asked.

"Now that, is a very good story. Someone should probably tell you sometime." said Sophie, Asterion's arms still wrapped around her.

"I volunteer as tribute." said Amara, raising her three fingers.

After telling Mary the story, including all the fluff, and giving Mary a minute to fangirl(for the third time, Amara had been counting), the group set out to find Rachel and Liza. Along the way, they bumped into Fred, James, Lysander and Lorcan, and Frank. They divided the themselves into two smaller groups, one to go look for Rachel and one to go look for Liza.

The group that went to look for Rachel consisted of Mary, Amara, Fred, Frank, and James. The latter went to look for Liza. Both groups agreed that it was best to start looking in their dorms.

After a long walk filled with jokes, planning, and small talk they finally made it to the Ravenclaw common room door.

"What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?" asked the eagle on the door knocker.

Thankfully, it was an easy question. Since they had heard this question before coming out of the eagle's mouth in all their years at Hogwarts, the twins proceeded to answer the question. Then, Lysander came up with an idea.

"Hey guys, I want to do an experiment."

Taking a deep breath, he said to the doorknocker, "Your mum."

The doorknocker gave out some clanging noises that must have been laughter, but then it said "Good try, but that is not the correct answer."

"Mate, that had _two_ innuendos!" Sophie laughed behind her hand.

When the group finished laughing, Lorcan finally answered, "A human, as it crawls on all fours as a baby, walks upright as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age. The stages of the human life cycle represent the 'morning, afternoon, and evening' thing."

"Correct, and nicely phrased." said the eagle as the door swung open.

When everybody was inside the room, Lysander started walking in the direction of the girls' dormitories. Before Lorcan had a chance to warn him, the stairs leading to the girls dormitories turned into a slide and red lights started flashing.

"Right, I uhhh, forgot about that." said Lysander as everybody doubled over in a fresh fit of laughter.

"I still don't get why boys aren't allowed to go in the girls dorms. Liza comes into ours all the time." grumbled Lysander.

At this, Sophie wiggled her eyebrows, making another innuendo. Once again, everybody was reduced to heaps of giggles on the blue floor of the Ravenclaw common room.

"It's because the founders of Hogwarts trusted girls more than boys." Asterion finally answered.

After some discussion, they finally figured out a plan. Sophie would go up the stairs and then levitate the boys past the stairs so they could get in. Then the boys would wait outside the entrance of the Liza's dorm with their eyes closed, and when Sophie declared the coast was clear, the boys could enter the dorm and help her search for Liza, or clues to where she was.

While the boys were patiently waiting outside the dorm, Sophie popped in. She noticed three sleeping girls in their beds, but the fourth bed was empty. All that was there was a note. After telling the boys they could come in, the group went to investigate the note.

"Be very very quiet guys, we don't wanna wake anybody up." whispered Sophie.

Quietly tiptoeing to the fourth bed wasn't very easy, as there were books littering the floor. Finally arriving at their destination, they picked up the handwritten note, which was covered in glitter and little pictures of dinosaurs.

 **Hi peoples.**

 **This note is intended for Mary, Amara, Sophie, Asterion, Fred, Frank, Lorcan, Lysander, and James, You fluffy unicorns are probably wondering where in the name of jellybeans I am. Worry not, for I am in the Room of Requirement with Rachel. Please come there at noon, because of reasons. You will need a password to enter this place, and the password is "Liza and Rachel are Awesome". Please do not enter before noon, as it will NOT END WELL! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

 **Love,**

 **The Unicorn of Sassy Llamas AKA Liza**

"I wonder what they're up to." remarked Asterion.

"Knowing Liza-" said Lorcan.

"-you'll never know." finished Lysander with a shake of his head and small smile.

Sophie checked her watch to see how much time left before noon. It turns out, it was currently 7:02 AM, which was pretty early for them, especially on a weekend.

The group managed to out the door of the dorm without waking anybody up. As they exited the room, something hit the back of Asterion's head.

"What the-" he exclaimed as the paper airplane settled on his head. He took it off and unfolded it, reading the contents.

"Here." he said as he passed it to Sophie, who passed it to Lorcan, who passed it to Lysander.

Amara, Fred, Frank, Mary, and James had a very long walk filled with many innuendos (just like the other group), flirting between Mary and James (though it was more one sided), and lots of laughter. The walk was made longer by the many stairs that lead up to the Gryffindor common room and dorms.

The group arrived in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. They had to prod her a few times before she finally woke up with a yawn.

"Obelisk." said Fred hastily.

"What are you students doing up at such an early hour? Especially on an off-day (since Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were coming the next day, they would have today off to prepare, classes would also be canceled tomorrow)! I planned to actually get some sleep today," The Fat Lady grumbled as they passed through the hole, Mary tripping over the entrance since she was the closest to the ground.

"Want me to carry you?" asked James, wiggling his eyebrows at Mary.

"I can manage by myself, thank you very much," She replied with a grin as she got up and dusted herself off.

"Don't forget your books." said James, picking them up, dusting them off, and handing them back to Mary.

"Oi! You two! Once you're done flirting in there, it would be nice if you could come in here and we could continue the search." said Fred before Amara elbowed him in the ribs, with a "dude, hush," Both blushing, James and Mary stepped out of the portrait hole and walked over to the rest of the group.

When they reached the foot of the stairs of the girls' dorms, the group faced the same problems as the other group: iHow would the guys get in/i. After a long discussion, they decided that the boys would stay in the common room while the girls would go check out Rachel's dorm.

When Mary and Amara finally found Rachel's dorm, they tiptoed quietly inside to find two other sleeping girls in their beds, but no Rachel. Instead, they found a neatly made bed with a note on it. When they approached the bed closer, they found it was covered in moving cat stickers and glitter. The note read:

Hi guys

This note is for the members of the Hipster Club ONLY. If you are not a member of the Hipster Club and you are reading this, I will punch you in the face, with your own arm (once I rip it off). To the Hipster Club: I am in the Room of Requirement with Liza. We planned a thing, and to get in the thing you need the password: Liza and Rachel are Awesome. Please do not come to the Room of Requirement UNTIL NOON OR I WILL STRANGLE YOU WITH YOUR OWN LIVER :)

Love,

Queen of Awesomeness AKA Rachel

After reading Rachel's note, Mary had trouble tiptoeing out of the dorm and holding in her giggles. As soon as they were in the hallway, they ran back to the common room and burst out into fits of laughter.

"What's so funny," asked James, Fred, and Frank, in various tones, looking a bit concerned at the heaps of giggles on the floor.

"L-look at Rachel's note," Mary managed to wheeze.

When the boys finally read it, they too were on the floor, shaking with mirth.

"Yep, that definitely sounds like Rachel." said Frank, a smile on his face. "I wonder what they planned." Mary checked her watch. It was 7:51, which was about 4 hours away from noon. This was going to be a ilong/i four hours.

"Let's send the other search party a flying airplane with a message. I know the spell for it. Someone just needs to make a paper airplane," Mary suggested.

James quickly got to work, taking a piece of parchment from the nearest desk. "What should we write?" he asked, quill at the ready for writing stuff down.

"Write: Hi guys. Meet us at the Great Hall at our usual seats once you're done with looking in Liza's dorm." dictated Mary.

When James finished scrawling the words, he folded the parchment into a paper airplane and handed it to Mary, who muttered something and the plane took off, occasionally bumping into things.

The two groups finally met at the Great Hall at 8:15, all seated and enjoying breakfast. Rachel and Liza were not yet there and everyone was simply shaking with a mix of excitement and curiosity.

Mary, to bide the time while she waited, had begun to re-read The Fault In Our Stars for the 100th time. She was curled up in her seat, tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she approached the dreaded part. The very dreaded part.

"Is she okay?" Fred asked, jabbing his thumb in the direction of their friend.

"Guys," Sophie said, wringing her arms. "That book is a feels-destroyer. I cried. iLiterally/i cried."

"Hey James," Fred said, clapping his hands on his cousin's back. "Now you've got that chance to comfort her!"

Mary, who was completely oblivious to her surroundings, heard nothing. All she could hear were her emotions cracking as she continued to read.

James, who had noticed that the girl wasn't paying attention, decided to attempt to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

Mary still noticed nothing. Sophie was tempted to alert her friend of the person putting an arm around her but she shipped it way too much. Amara shook her head silently, wondering if this was about to be the second cannoning of the day.

When breakfast was nearly over and Mary had gotten to the last page, she slammed the book closed. A sound so loud that the whole Great Hall probably heard it, was the result of asid book slamming.

"WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYY!?" Mary screamed.

Everyone turned to her with a look of annoyance, confusion, and amusement. Amara backed into the shadows, not wanting to be noticed by the other students.

"Ms. Chavez," The Headmistress said. "Do you mind? You can go scream in the courtyards later, everyone is trying to eat."

Mary nodded solemnly. She lifted her head up, noticing a hand on her shoulder that wasn't supposed to be there.

"James. Sirius. Potter," Mary glared at the boy next to her. "You ibetter/i get your grubby hands off of me unless you'd like to discover that your arm is no longer attached to your body."

"How am I supposed to know you're going to follow up with that threat?" James asked, a smug smile on his lips and not removing his arm from around her shoulder.

Mary glared even more. She took her wand out from it's spot in her bag. She muttered a spell and James felt a sharp tug on his left arm. It cleanly fell to the floor, and laid there, limp.

James yelped. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!?"

"Hmph," Mary said, crossing her arms tightly. "I warned you! It's not my fault you doubted my magical powers."

Fred was on the floor, laughing his head off. "OH MY iGOD/I JAMES! YOU JUST GOT TOLD!"

Muffled sounds laughter escaped from behind Sophie's tightly closed fist, which she had stuck in her mouth to try and avoid bursting out in laughter.

Amara covered her mouth with her hands. 'Well,' Amara thought. 'Turns out that prank spell worked after all'.

Lysander joined Fred on floor, both boys shaking with laughter. Lorcan stared at James' arm, 'What spell was that?!' he thought, scooping the limb off of the floor and inspecting it.

James lunged for it with his other arm, but Lorcan swept it out of his reach.

Asterion was chuckling. "Oh James, you didn't believe her? You are the world's biggest idiot."

"OMG OMG I JUST CAN'T" Sophie said. "JUST. JELLYFLUFFING. HAHAHAHAHAHA." Sophie stopped attempting hold her laughter in and decided to join Fred and Lysander on the floor.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Great Hall looked at Mary, staring and wondering how this tiny iHufflepuff/igirl, who had skipped a igrade/i, a imuggleborn/i, had followed up with a threat like that.

"Miss Chavez," Headmistress McGonagall asked. "I do not doubt that you acted in self defense, but I'd advise that you place his arm back before I decide to give you a detention."

Meanwhile, Professor Ginny Potter, was making her best attempt at not bursting out laughing.

Mary nodded and grumbled. She muttered a spell and James's arm went back to its original spot.

"You deserved what you got even if it was only for a few minutes," Mary whispered in his ear.

Mary turned and swiftly headed for the courtyard nearest to the forest, not bothering to see James's reaction.

Mary sat down under an old tree, and grumbled as she dusted off her clothes. Luckily, no one else was in this courtyard to see her. Most were too afraid to go near the forbidden forest. Mary didn't really mind. At least it was peaceful and her friends didn't know where she was.

"Stupid. Bloody. Potter." She mumbled, plugging in her headphones and taking her iPod out of her bag. Mary turned on her 'ANGRY' playlist that consisted of Epic Piano pieces, dubstep violin, and Ingrid Michaelson. She grabbed her journal, which she had filled with prank ideas, and started thinking up revenge on people who had pissed her off.

"Oh cod," She heard a voice say from behind her. 'What the bloody hell is Sophie doing behind me?' Mary thought.

"James you are in some deep poo if she's listening to her 'angry' playlist and writing in her pranking journal."

"She's right, mate," Asterion said.

"I know, so, should I apologize?" James asked. Mary's eyes widened. Well, that was quicker than she expected.

James tapped Mary on the shoulder.

Mary took her headphones off. "What do you want?"

"Um, I want to apologize," James said, clasping his hands together nervously. "For earlier. I should've taken my arm off. Or not have put it there at all."

Mary smirked. "I'll accept your mess of an apology. But, on one condition only."

"What?" James asked. "I'll do anything."

Fred raised an eyebrow, then he waggled them. "Oh? Anything?"

"Shut up Fred," Mary said. "I have a prank planned. Not for any of you buttheads but for Arabella Flint. She'll wish she never picked on us! MWAHAHA!"

Amara grinned and Sophie pumped her fist. "HELL YES!"

"Soooo," Fred asked. "What's the prank?"

"One word," Mary said. "iAmor-ten-tia./i"

"But," Fred said. "Why do we have to brew our own? Weasley's Wizard Wheezes sells a line of love potions."

"Those potions depend on the attractiveness of the girl and the weight of the boy," Mary said. "And we all know Slughorn isn't a lightweight."

"Wait," James said, forming a time out sign. "Slughorn?"

"Yup," Mary grinned. "We are going to make Arabella fall in love with Slughorn."

Mary, Sophie, James, Lysander, and Asterion headed to Ravenclaw tower to begin the potion making.

"Why are we going to Ravenclaw tower?" James asked, scratching his head.

"Because," Mary said. "It'll be less suspicious. We can just say the potion is one of our experiments."

"Oh."

"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" The brass doorknocker asked.

"They're the same." Lysander and Mary said at the same time.

"Duh!" Mary added, before the door swung open.

The five friends headed to one of the empty experiment tables, all of which had a stove and a cauldron for potions.

"Someone pass me that potions book!" Mary held her hand out, waiting as she grabbed all the potion supplies.

Sophie passed her the book, Moste Potente Potions. "I still can't believe you stole that in the middle of the night. And wrote in it too!"

"I actually bought a copy at Florilegium during the last Hogsmeade trip. Apparently, all wizarding libraries and bookstores have restricted sections. I scribbled a bunch of notes in there so ignore that bit. It's just basic potions. Certain ingredients make something more powerful. There's a list in the textbook."

Meanwhile, Amara, Fred, Lorcan, and Frank, since they were the sneakiest, had headed to Slughorn's potion supply cupboard to steal all the ingredients they needed. Mary had given them a list of potion ingredients that they needed.

Ashwinder eggs

Rose Thorns

Peppermint

Powdered Moonstone

Mistletoe berries

Lavender

Powdered Asphodel

Fairy Wings

Butterscotch

"Bloody hell," Fred said. "How are we supposed to sneak all of this out of the cupboard?"

"Like this," Amara said, holding up her Erumpent potion. "Fred, you go use this as a distraction. They'll probably put it off as another one of your pranks."

Fred took the potion with an uneasy look on his face. "Alrighty then, I'll just go make this blow up in the corridors. Then Slughorn'll come running this way and you guys can take all the supplies."

Fred ran towards the Slughorn's classroom and Amara, Frank, and Lorcan quickly snuck into the cupboard while the smoke settled.

"FREDRICK WEASLEY!" They heard Slughorn scream.

"Found the fairy wings!" Frank said, grabbing a vial of some kind of dried up husks.

"Peppermint, rose thorns, lavender, powdered asphodel," Amara murmured, grabbing the four vials.

"These look disgusting!" Lorcan exclaimed, holding up another vial of fairy wings.

"I know, right?" Frank said.

"Are these the mistletoe berries?" Amara asked, holding up a jar of white berries.

"I think," Lorcan said, inspecting a jar of Ashwinder eggs.

"Last ingredients," Frank said, holding up a small jar of powdered moonstone and a bottle of butterscotch that slightly resembled a syrupy butterbeer.

The trio quickly rushed out of the cupboard to see a slightly charred hallway and Fred and Slughorn covered in soot.

Thankfully, Slughorn didn't see them and they ran towards Ravenclaw Tower, carrying various bottles, jars, and vials.

"You think Red will be okay?" Amara said as she jumped up the stairs, two at a time.

Asterion scoffed, "Are you kidding? Ol' Slug loves Freddie-boy, he'd probably congragulate him for being able to pull the wool over his eyes."

Lorcan hastily answered the question the door had offered, and kicked it open, adding a swift apology before rushing into the common room.

"Ooh!" Mary exclaimed. "You guys got all the ingredients! I knew I could count on you nerds."

"Mhm, yeah, whatever. Here," Amara said, placing the ingredients on the table. Fred strode in a few moments later, a wide smile on his face.

"About time," Amara chided. Fred stuck his tongue out at her.

"Alright, Asterion, I need you to put the fairy wings in th- Don't make that face, okay, they were probably dead when they removed them. Just put the wings, in the mortar and crack the eggs over them, yes, keep the shells. Yes, crush them!" Lorcan directed, reading out from the book.

Asterion did what he was told, but not without miming a tear falling down his cheek. Meanwhile, James wiggled the mistletoe berries over Mary's head, as she tried to snatch them from his grasp.

"Stop playing!" Amara snapped, grabbing the berries, then rushing over to the cauldron and squeezing the juice out. The water turned a light pink-ish color.

"Thank you, Mara." Lysander said as he stirred the potion, counter-clockwise. After fifteen seconds, he beckoned to Asterion, and he came over to him, scraping the mush out from the mortar and into the cauldron.

Mary handed Lysander the jar of powdered asphodel root, who poured it into the potion. Lysander quickly stirred the potion for five seconds before adding in a jar of moonstone that Sophie handed him. The potion turned a bright and shiny fuschia color.

James and Asterion handled the lavender and peppermint. James was attempting to be precise with cutting the lavender, leaning over so he could look at it closely. Asterion, who was pretty good at Potions, cut the tiny peppermint sprigs with ease.

Mary took the cut up pieces of lavender and peppermint and passed them to Lysander who just threw the ingredients into the bowl. He stirred clockwise for 10 seconds before Amara poured all of the butterscotch into the cauldron.

Lysander stirred for the last 30 seconds before covering up the cauldron with its top.

The iridescent fumes started to rise up from the cauldron, which was brewing on a low heat.

Mary sniffed around and sighed. "Cinnamon, quill ink, tea, chocolate, dirt, grass, and-" Mary paused. " What? Quidditch pitch? It smells kind of like broomsticks."

James sniffed himself. 'Is she smelling me? I guess I smell like the Quidditch pitch. And cinnamon. But I blame my daily consumption of cinnamon for that.'

"Forests in the winter!" Sophie said, joining Mary and sniffing the air. "-and mint, juniper, pool water, saltwater, freshly brewed tea, and dog smell. How can all this possibly smell good together?"

"Flowery shampoo and quill ink," James said. "Mum's gingerbread, the quidditch pitch, broom cleaning stuff, cinnamon, and grass."

"Juniper," Asterion sighed. "Saltwater and the flowers mum grows at Malfoy Manor. Is that Earl Grey?"

"Mint tea and freshly washed clothes," Fred said, a glazed look on his eyes. "Prank supplies and yes, dad's chocolate chip cookie dough!"

"What on earth?" Lysander asked. "Butterbeer corks? Oooh parchment... The forest is a nice smell. Spearmint! It wards away the nargles."

"Old books," Lorcan said. "Forests after rain. Owl feathers? Oooh, something flowery."

"Lavender," Frank said. "The greenhouses! Oh, and Butterbeer."

Amara was the last one to describe what she had smelled. She backed away from the cauldron. "Nope, that's a brew of pure trouble," She said, burying her face in the collar of her sweater.

"Its your loss," Mary shrugged, leaning her face into the steam.

It was almost noon when the group had finished creating the iamortentia/i potion. Mary, who was almost certain some kind of surprise party was going to go on, had chosen to change out of her Hogwarts robes (it was a free day, after all). She dressed in her High Functioning Fangirl sweater, a black skirt, purple leggings, a scarf with a cat pattern, and flower-patterned rain boots.

She stepped out of the Hufflepuff common room to go join her friends, who were waiting for her on the seventh floor where the ROR was located. They, of course, had not yet entered yet as it was not yet noon.

"Bloody hell," James muttered. "Why can't we just go in now?"

"Because it's not yet noon, you blasted idiot," Mary said, popping up from behind him and slapping his head.

"Ow! Where'd iyou/i come from?" He asked, rubbing his head.

"My mother's womb," Mary said, hands on her hips. Bouts of laughter erupted from all of her friends. "What? It's the truth! I just came out of my common room."

"They said you weren't sneaky," James accused, pointing at Sophie and Amara.

"She iisn't/i sneaky, James," Amara said. "You're just unobservant."

"Guys," Asterion said, pointing at his wristwatch. "I think it's noon."

"Liza and Rachel are Awesome," Mary said to the wall. A door that looked like the door of the TARDIS appeared where grey stones used to be. Mary opened the door and gasped at what was inside. The party was completely and totally Doctor Who themed. A giant TV Screen was playing Doctor Who episodes and beanbags were scattered in disorganized places. House elves were handling the Doctor Who snacks at a table.

"DOCTOR WHO, BABY!" James said, pumping his fist as he entered.

Liza and Rachel ran over to hug Sophie, who was still standing at the doorway with a glazed look on her face.

"Happy Birthday Sophie!" Rachel said, patting her friend's shoulders.

"Happy Hogwarts Birthday Frond Person!" Sophie gave her second tiniest friend a head-hug.

"Oh Merlin," Mary breathed, threatening to faint. "Trust fall!" She yelled, and tipped back. James caught her, pushing her back up onto her feet. Mary dusted herself off with a quiet 'thank you' and ran for a bowl of adipose marshmallows. After grabbing the marshmallows, she took a seat on one of the fluffy beanbags. James immediately sat down on the one next to her, making Mary huff but say nothing.

"THIS. IS. FRICKIN. AWESOME," Sophie screamed and jumped onto one of the TARDIS blue beanbags. Asterion shook his head, laughing at Sophie silently. He picked up a bowl of fish fingers and custard and sat on Sophie ("Hey!" "You wouldn't move over," "Ugh," ).

Amara sighed loudly, but flopped onto one of the chairs next Sophie.

"I guess I'll finally watch some Who," Fred stated,reaching for a strawberry from a fruit arrangement shaped like a miniature dalek. He hopped on the beanbag in between Amara and James.

Rachel sat down on Mary's other side, leaning over to steal a marshmallow from her bowl. "Hey!" Mary exclaimed as Rachel took two handfuls, one of which she handed to Liza. Mary huffed and went to go grab a bowl of Jammy Dodgers, which James tried to steal.

Lorcan and Lysander, who had inspected all the odd-looking decorations, sat down on the carpeted floor. Lorcan grabbed one of the Sontaran shaped potatoes and gave it a once-over before taking a large bite. Frank settled down next to him, drinking some tea from a TARDIS shaped teacup.

"Asterion, I can't believe that you ate that," Amara chided, sticking out her tongue.

"What?" He looked down at the bowl of fish fingers in custard that he and his girlfriend were sharing. "Oh, these," He took another bite, just to annoy Amara.

"Hey let me have some," Sophie piped, taking one out of the bowl, and Mary and James also reached over and took one.

"You guys, are irevolting/i," Amara said, making gagging noises.

"No, these are delicious!" Mary said, once she had swallowed. James nodded, stuffing a handful into his mouth.

"No, they aren't. Sweet things do not go with salty things, I can't even look at that, it's so disgusting."

"Have you even tried one?" Mary asked her, waving a Jammy Dodger cookie in her face.

"I will puke all over you if I did,"

"Ewww," Frank shuddered.

"Thank you Frank,"

"Y-your welcome, um, Amara,"

Mary shrugged. "You're missing out. Most people actually like the combination of sweet and salty."

"Most people have disgusting tastes,"

"That's your opinion. Now why don't you just grab one of the boring not sweet and salty combined snacks from the table? I really like this episode," Mary said.

"Gladly," Amara huffed, and plucked a few adipose marshmallows from the table. She wedged back into her chair, and bit one of their heads off, chewing happily.

"What are you, a predator or something?" Fred laughed.

Amara smiled wide, showing a flash of at least sharp canine teeth, and purred lightly.

"Okay then," He ruffled her hair, and she laughed.

"OH. MY. GOD. IT'S MATT FRICKING SMITH," Mary squealed, bouncing in her beanbag chair.

"OMG, really? I thought it was Jake English!" Amara gasped sarcastically, framing her face with her hands in mock surprise.

Mary glared at Amara before throwing an adipose marshmallow at her. Amara caught it and popped it into her mouth. She swallowed, "You're a terrible shot, Mary. I iknow/i how you throw."

Mary huffed before turning to look at the screen. Sophie stared at the pile of presents in this corner, wondering when they'd open them.

Sophie squealed. It was time to open her presents. She already got the ones from parents, which had been sent earlier in the week.

Amara whipped out her box, a iWhat Pumpkin/i sticker adorning it. She tossed it to Sophie, and she caught it easily, ripping of the sticker and flinging through the bubble wrap.

"Oh. My. Gog, Amara you did not!" Sophie squealed, holding up boxers with smaller multicolored dragons scattered on it.

"I totally did," Amara grinned.

"Thank you!" Sophie leapt at her friend, crushing her in a hug.

Rachel waved a custom sonic screwdriver in front of Sophie face, and Sophie snatched it up, fiddling with the buttons before hugging Rachel tightly. Liza presented her friend with an endless sketchbook, which Amara and Sophie both marveled at. Of course, Liza got a hug in return.

Fred gave her prank supplies, disguised as pens and quills, so she could keep them at the ready in her bag. She hugged him too, but not as tightly as she did with the girls. The twins gave her matching sweaters for her and her cat, and Sophie put hers on right away, and tucked the one for Jade in her bag. She hugged both of the twins at the same time, and while Lorcan hugged her back, Lysander gave her an awkward pat. Frank gave her a mini plant on a chain, and Sophie put it on, hugging Frank too. Frank seemed surprised by the gesture, but he warmed up to it quickly.

Asterion was last.

"Saving the best for last, eh," Sophie joked.

"Mhmm," He hummed reaching into his bag. He pulled out something large and yellow. As the group looked at Asterion, the full present was revealed.

It w a giant stuffed squid. It's felt eyes were bigger than Sophie's head, and its tentacles were longer than both Sophie's and Amara's heights combined.

"OMG THAT IS SO KAWAII," Sophie yelled, leaping onto the toy and hugging it tightly. Then she turned to Asterion, and threw her arms around his neck.

"You made it right?" She asked, pulling away to look him in the eyes, well, the shades.

"W-well, um, Fred helped out, a bit," Asterion answered, and Fred nodded.

Wrapped up in the arms of her knew stuffed, aquatic animal friend, Sophie laughed as they unpaused the episode they were watching, and she enjoyed the rest of her party.

It was almost curfew when the group finished. They begrudgingly trekked back down the halls to their respective common rooms. Sophie skipped all the way to the Slytherin common rooms, attempting to tiptoe quietly so Arabella wouldn't notice her. Amara sighed and shook her head. She had some of the weirdest friends. Asterion trudged back to his dorm room, grumbling about his crappy roommate.

Mary escorted the House Elves back to the kitchens, giving each one of them a crushing hug as they filed into the portrait hole.

"Bye Daisy, Bye Winnie, Bye Gwen, Bye Jared, Bye Bobby, Bye Tom, Bye Dave, Bye Tuney, Bye Twiddles, Bye Toodles, Bye Turner, Bye Werner, Bye Lizzie, Bye Maisie," Mary said.

She tapped the rhythm on the barrel and the slide opened. She climbed in and rushed down into the common rooms, landing on her bottom. She entered her dorm room, heaving a sigh and wondering when that slide would stop hating her. On her bed, she saw a pink and red origami swan.

Mary automatically thought this was James' work, and unfolded it carefully, only once:

 **From: James**

 **To: Mary**

'Ah Ha!' She thought, she had guessed correctly! She unfolded it all the way and it said:

 **o** **Fezzes** **are red** **o**

 **o** **The** **TARDIS** **is blue** **o**

 **o** **Bowties are cool** **o**

 **o** **And so are YOU** **o**

Mary laughed, quite surprised James knew how to write a poem, though it was a very terrible one, then wrote under it one big, bold word:

 **NO**

She refolded the swan and threw it into the air. It floated away through the window almost getting blown away by the wind. Of course, she had to turn him down. There was more time for the word "Yes" during her 6th or 7th year.

"What was that pink thing?" Dominique asked, looking at Mary.

"I think I know," Alice said. "Frank told me something about James's namesake quest. It's pretty obvious who the pink thingamajig was from."

"Who?" Dom asked,tapping her chin in thought.

Alice sent her friend a look. "IS IT NOT OBVIOUS?! It's totally from James."

"You are correct," Mary sighed, reaching up to pat Alice's head. "James has been pestering me for ages."

"Dang," Dom said. "I'll warn you, I've known James since birth and he's the most persistent person I've had the misfortune to meet. I wouldn't put high hopes on him giving up. Unless he get's a new crush, which I doubt won't happen for a while or not happen at all, since he's acting quite differently."

Alice nodded, being Frank's twin she had known James for as long as Frank had, which was a long time. "Yeah, so true. He gets crushes waaaaay too easily."

Mary waggled her eyebrows. "Who were his other crushes?" She asked, her interest piqued.

"Well," Dom said, counting stuff off on her fingers. "There was this boy from Ravenclaw, a girl from Gryffindor who turned out to be a lesbian, another girl from Slytherin who dumped him for another guy, and another boy from Gryffindor who moved to Durmstrang last year. He's never liked a Hufflepuff before so this is kind of weird, and then there was this genderfluid one, they were cool."

"Two boys? And a genderfluid person?" Mary asked with surprise. "Wow, I mean, I have nothing against them but it's surprising to find out that one of your friends is pan or something."

"I understand. But James to want to date ieverybody/i, it's part of his whole 'everybody loves me and should get a chance with me' thing." Alice said, making finger quotations. "Man, he has a big ego. I'm surprised Al doesn't have a one too, but probably because James's is already big enough to fill the whole Potter manor." She paused. "And I mean, I know Asterion said that he dates who he wants, and doesn't really like labels when I asked, and Fred told me that he's a panromantic asexual and stuff," She trailed off, making a vague hand gesture as punctuation.

"And I'm a lesbian, I've never liked guys before." Dom piped.

"Well," Mary said, cheekily. "Now I know."

"Mhm!" Alice and Dom hummed in unison, grinning.

"Lizaaaaaaaaaa," Lysander sang, poking his quill at her elbow.

"Mhm," She hummed, her instinctive shipping senses tingling for some unknown reason..

"I, um. Actually, just, Good Night." He stuttered, packing up his things, and giving her a pat on the head.

"Ni...ght," Liza answered, turning around to look at him as he scampered up the stairs to his dorm room. She smiled, a voice in the back of her mind telling her that Lysander fancied her and was, of course, about to say something. She shook her head, ignoring the voice, and picked up her books, heading to the common rooms.

"Today was nice," Sophie smiled, as she spoke.

"Yeah," Asterion agreed. They were standing outside of Asterions door, leaning against the wall. The door creaked as he twisted the handle.

"Goodnight Sophie,"

"Goodnight," She saluted him, and he returned the gesture.

'Tonight was good, really good," She thought, stretching happily as she walked back to her and Amara's room.


End file.
